Through Muggleborn Eyes: Year One
by Kris Pilar
Summary: Bryt Watkins is an 11-year-old from America who's already feeling out of place in her new home in England. Now, when a stranger comes to her house, claiming she's a witch, Bryt's life becomes an adventure. Especially when she befriends the Golden Trio.
1. Changes Happen

**A/N:** I've been working on this for a while and decided to put it up. Note, this chapter was written with in book six, it shows witches and wizards living with Muggles are visited by a staff member to explain everything, but also, Hermione says in the first book that she got a letter. So this is a mix of both.

And if you review, please, no flames.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing you recognize, all that belongs to JKRowling. I only own the Watkins family and the Garcías.

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Eleven-year-old Bryt Watkins was stretched out on her bed in her room, staring at the ceiling with caramel-colored eyes as she tugged on the end of the sleeve of her oversized shirt. The sun was shining brightly outside, though, for Bryt, it could have been storming. Life had changed so drastically for her and she still wasn't use to it. Today was her first day in her new home, a small house a little outside of London, England. Of course, even at one story, the house was more roomy than the small two-story house she had lived in back in Charleston, South Carolina, but Bryt would have preferred the small, crowded house. At least then she would still be with her best friends, twelve-year-old Sofí García and her one-year-older brother Julio. Now, Bryt was in a completely different country, the only contact with her friends were emails and an occasional long-distance phone call.

Bryt let out a sigh, closing her eyes for a moment before sitting up on her bed, straightening her oversized shirt that hung down over her jeans. Of course, Bryt could have clothes that fit her well if she wanted, but she preferred baggy clothing. It helped to hide her small, scrawny form. Bryt was a small girl, after all, and shorter than most her age. Her hair was long and thick, often tangling easily, which left Bryt always keeping it tied back. She often found herself wishing she could be tall and elegant, like her friend Sofí, with her silky black hair and bright smile...

Bryt shook off the image of her friend, moving over to the chest-of-drawers that sat near her window on one side of her bedroom door, the other side of the door being where Bryt's desk sat. The young girl grabbed her brush and started pulling it through her tangled blonde hair, braiding it quickly and letting the braid hang halfway down her back.

Looking in the mirror, Bryt wrinkled her nose at her reflection. There was only one thing she liked about herself, and that was the light caramel color of her eyes. There was nothing out of the ordinary about them, though. Bryt just liked them because they were the exact same color as her father's.

Bryt turned from her mirror shoved open her window, letting the summer air come inside. It had just recently rained and Bryt wanted the fresh smell to fill her room, no matter how much her parents and younger brothers would fuss about it.

The blonde leaned forward, folding her arms on the sill of the open window, looking down the small driveway leading to a road nearby. After a few minutes, she suddenly straightened up with a start. There was a woman at the end of the driveway that Bryt could have sworn hadn't been there seconds earlier.

_'Get a hold of yerself,'_ Bryt thought, _'You just zoned out and didn' see her comin'.'_

But Bryt looked, she didn't see any vehicle nearby. It seemed the strange woman had walked, and now she was heading up the driveway to the Watkins household. Once she got closer, Bryt could see her better. The stranger was a small, plump woman with a mess of gray hair and dressed strangely in miss-matched clothing. Bryt cocked her head at the sight and the woman seemed to notice her as she approached the house. After all, Bryt's window was at the front of the house right against the hallway where the front door was.

"Hello there," the strange woman greeted, "You must be Bryttanie Watkins."

"It's Bryt," Bryt mumbled, "Um...Do y'want to talk to one of my parents? Dad's out right now with my brothers, but Mom's home..."

"Yes, I wish to speak with your mother," the strange woman grinned.

Bryt nodded and turned from her window, heading across the house to the kitchen.

"Mom, there's this weirdly dressed lady who wants to talk to you," Bryt said as she entered the kitchen.

Bryt's mother, a tall, slender woman with glasses and pale blonde hair, turned to Bryt, brushing flower off her shirt.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"Dunno," Bryt shrugged, "I didn' get a name, but she knew who I was."

"Maybe she's a friend of yer father's," Mrs. Watkins said, starting for the door. Bryt followed along behind.

"May I help you, ma'am?" Mrs. Watkins asked after she took in the stranger's appearance.

"Yes, my name is Pomona Sprout," the woman grinned (Bryt started to laugh, but covered it with a cough), "I'm sorry this is unannounced, but I was hoping to speak with you about a possible placement in a special school for your daughter."

"Y'mean a scholarship?" Bryt raised an eyebrow, "I didn' apply for anythin', and I jus' moved here, how would I already be up fer some school?"

"Why don't you come in?" Mrs. Watkins stepped aside, "We can talk in the living room."

Pomona Sprout nodded and followed Bryt and her mother into the living room where Mrs. Watkins motioned for the guest to sit down.

"What school is this, anyway?" Mrs. Watkins asked.

"It's a special school," Sprout said, "Here, this letter will explain it."

Sprout pulled an envelope, that seemed to be made of parchment, from her pocket and handed it to Bryt. It felt thick and heavy in her hands and she noticed her name and address was written in green ink on the front. Turning it over, Bryt noticed some type of seal holding it closed: a strange coat of arms that was the letter 'H' surrounded by a lion, badger, eagle, and snake. Bryt slowly pulled open the envelope and read the letter:

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL  
**_**of**_** WITCHCRAFT **_**and**_** WIZARDRY**

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE  
_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,  
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)_

Dear Miss Watkins,  
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.  
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl no later than July 31.  
Yours Sincerely,  
Minevra McGonagall,  
_Deputy Headmistress_

This time, Bryt didn't cover her laugh.

"Are you tryin' to say I'm a witch?" she asked, "I don' believe it."

Sprout gave Bryt a grin. "Have you ever been able to make things happen?" she asked, "Things you couldn't explain?"

Bryt frowned, thinking back. There had been several times when she had gotten mad or annoyed, strange things would happen around her. There was once when she had gotten annoyed with Sofí laughing over the fact she had been a witch one Halloween that Sofí, who was dressed as a dog, had got her tail caught on something and ripped her costume. For once, Sofí didn't find her misfortune hilarious, but she often gave Bryt strange grins afterwards and Julio seemed to watch her more closely as well.

"Well, yeah," Bryt finally said slowly, "A few things."

"It's because of your magic," Sprout explained, "Of course, you didn't know that at the time. Most young witches and wizards in your situation often have their magic get away from them. That's what Hogwarts is for, teaching you control."

"Hogwarts?" Mrs. Watkins echoed.

"The name of the school," Sprout answered, "That letter also has your school list, Bryt. If you wish to attend Hogwarts, I can accompany you to get your school supplies and bring you back home."

Bryt pulled a second piece of parchment from the envelope in her hands and read over it:

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL  
**_**of**_** WITCHCRAFT **_**and**_** WIZARDRY**

UNIFORM

First year students will require:  
sets of plain black robes (black)  
plain pointed hat (black) for day wear  
pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)  
winter coat (black, silver fastenings)  
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:  
_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade One)_  
by Miranda Goshawk  
_A History of Magic_  
by Bathilda Bagshot  
_Magical Theory_  
by Adalbert Waffling  
_A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration_  
by Emeric Switch  
_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_  
by Phyllida Spore  
_Magical Drafts and Potions_  
by Arsenius Jigger  
_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_  
by Newt Scamander  
_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_  
by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand  
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)  
1 set of glass or crystal phials  
1 telescope  
1 set of brass scales  
Students may bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEAR STUDENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

"You can get all this?" Bryt blinked, wondering what type of stores sold spell books, wands, and dragon-hide gloves.

"In Diagon Alley," Sprout grinned, "If you wish to go to Hogwarts. We aren't forcing you, though."

Bryt bit her lower lip and wrinkled her nose in thought. Attend a school to learn magic? It seemed like an unbelievable idea, how could she be a witch? Of course, there was all the weird things that had happened around her...

"It's up to you, Bryt," Mrs. Watkins' voice snapped Bryt out of her thinking and she looked to her mother, "You can go to this school if you'd like."

Bryt nodded and looked back to Sprout.

"Do you teach there?" she asked.

"Herbology," Sprout nodded, "If you chose to go, you will address me as 'Professor' or 'ma'am'."

Bryt nodded again. "Yeah, I think I will," she said, "Why not? Learn to do magic and stuff, it sounds interestin'. You said you'd take me to get my supplies?"

"We can go now if you'd like," Sprout grinned, "You will just need to get money from your mother to exchange for wizard money at Gringotts—"

"Gringotts?" Bryt asked.

"The Wizard Bank," Sprout answered.

Bryt nodded and looked to her mother with a grin.

"Can I go today?" she asked.

"Fine," Mrs. Watkins grinned, "Just hold on one moment. Professor? How much money will she need?"

"I don't know," Sprout answered, "I've never dealt with Muggle money—"

"Muggle?" Bryt asked.

"Our term for non-magical people, like your family," Sprout said.

"Here, just take my wallet," Mrs. Watkins handed it to Bryt, "Exchange what you think you might need and if there's anything left over after your supplies, get yerself something extra."

"Like a pet?" Bryt grinned, "The letter said I could get an owl or a cat, or a toad."

"Yes, get yerself a pet," Mrs. Watkins grinned.

Bryt grinned and hugged her mother. She pocketed her school list and the wallet her mother gave her before turning to Sprout.

"Are we goin' to walk?" she asked, "Is Diagon Alley in London?"

"Yes, it is," Sprout grinned, rising from her seat, "We'll walk, if that's what you'd like. Come along, then. Let's get going."

Bryt waved a goodbye to her mother before following Sprout from her house and down the driveway, starting the short walk along the road and into London.

"Are there many witches and wizards from Muggle families?" Bryt asked as they walked along. A million questions were going through her head and she was planning to ask them all.

"Not all," Sprout answered, "There's many witches and wizards from long lines of magical families, and many more from families with one parent a witch or wizard and the other Muggle, then there's plenty like you, where you're the first witch or wizard in your family."

"How do you keep Muggles from finding out?" Bryt asked, "If this Diagon Alley is in London, what keeps Muggles from finding it?"

"We have all different ways from keeping the prying eyes of Muggles away," Sprout replied, "And Diagon Alley's entrance is in the back of a pub known as The Leaky Cauldron. Muggles can't see the pub, only us witches and wizards. It keeps them from finding the alley."

"How will I get to Hogwarts in September?" Bryt asked.

"By the Hogwarts Express," Sprout grinned, "You'll get to the train by Platform Nine and Three-Quarters at the King Cross Station here in London."

"Platform Nine and Three-Quarters? That doesn' sound like a normal platform."

"It's hidden from Muggles, like Diagon Alley," Sprout said, "You'll have to go at the wall between platforms nine and ten, just pass right through that wall and you'll be on the platform."

Bryt's string of questions didn't end, even when they reached a small pub that Bryt almost missed seeing. Even if it wasn't hidden magically from Muggles, Bryt doubted anyone would notice the place. She followed Sprout inside, finding it to be much like outside: Small and dank. A couple of groups were scattered here and there and a little man was behind the counter.

"Good morning, Tom," Sprout greeted as she passed through to a small courtyard occupied by only a couple of trashcans.

Bryt looked around, but found no other exit. "Why're we here?" she asked.

"To get to Diagon Alley," Sprout grinned, pulling out a long, thin stick. Bryt took a guess that was Sprout's wand.

"Three up, two across from the trash can," Sprout said, "Take note of that for when you come other times, Miss Watkins."

Bryt nodded and watched Sprout count the bricks, then tap the wall three times. Bryt's mouth fell open and her eyes widened in amazement as, slowly, an archway grew in the wall, leading to a cobblestone street lined with buildings.

"Here we are," Sprout grinned, "Diagon Alley."


	2. School Shopping

It seemed as if Bryt's face was frozen in a wide-eyed expression of wonder as she turned constantly, trying to take in everything she could of Diagon Alley. Several times, she had stopped to stare in windows at stores selling everything from all different sizes of cauldrons, potion ingredients, spell books and quills, and even a store that sold broomsticks. Each time, Sprout had to return and grab Bryt by the arm to lead her back down the street, only for Bryt to stop again at the next shop.

One Bryt was really reluctant to move from was one called Eeylops Owl Emporium where Bryt took instantly to a beautiful barn owl sitting in a cage in view of the window. Bryt, as she was being pulled away from the store, promised herself that if she had any money left, she would buy herself that barn owl.

"Here we are—Gringotts," Sprout said.

Bryt bent her head back to look up at the three-story white building that stood taller than the other shops in Diagon Alley. She slowly lowered her head again to the bronze doors, then to the strange creature by the door. Not much shorter than Bryt, the creature had a clever-looking face, a pointed beard, and long hands and feet. It was dressed in a uniform of scarlet and gold and bowed Sprout and Bryt in through the doors where they were met by another set of doors, these silver and holding an engraving:

_Enter stranger, but take heed  
Of what awaits the sin of greed,  
For those to take, but do not earn,  
Must pay most dearly in their turn.  
So if you seek beneath our floors  
A treasure that was never yours,  
Thief, you have been warned, beware  
Of finding more than treasure there._

Two more of the strange creatures bowed Bryt and Sprout in through the silver doors and Bryt saw hundreds more of the creatures all around, most behind a long counter weighing different types of stones and gems.

"What are they?" Bryt asked, looking around in awe.

"Goblins," Sprout said, "Never mess with them, Miss Watkins. Anyway, let's get your money exchanged, shall we?"

Several minutes later, Bryt left the bank with Sprout, carrying a pouch full of bronze, silver, and gold coins. Sprout was just explaining the wizard currency.

"The bronze ones are knuts," Sprout said, "Silver are sickles and the gold are galleons. Twenty-nine knuts to a sickle, seventeen sickles to a galleon. Do you understand that?"

"Twenty-nine bronze knuts to a sickle, seventeen silver sickles to a gold galleon. Got it," Bryt nodded, "Where are we goin' first?"

"It's your school list, so I thought you should decide," Sprout grinned.

Bryt shoved her hand in her pocket and pulled out her list, skimming over it.

"Wand first," she said happily.

"Then off to Ollivander's," Sprout said, starting along with Bryt right behind, once again staring at everything around her.

They reached the end of the alley where Bryt found themselves in front of a narrow, shabby shop with peeling golden letters reading "Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C." across the top. In the window of the shop was a wand resting on a purple cushion.

"All right, in we go," Sprout said, leading Bryt inside.

Bryt suddenly felt as if she had walked into a library as the soft tinkling of a bell rang over her head. She looked around the narrow room at the walls of slim boxes that Bryt guessed to hold wands. Sprout took a seat in the only chair and Bryt felt more questions rising, but she couldn't get herself to speak, as if she would get in trouble if she did.

"Good afternoon."

Bryt jumped with a small yelp and spun around to see an old man watching her with wide, pale eyes that stood out in the pale shop. Bryt guessed this was Mr. Ollivander.

"Hi," Bryt spoke up, pulling nervously at the end of her sleeve.

"First year at Hogwarts, I take it," Mr. Ollivander said it as a statement, not a question, "Well, we should begin. Which is your wand arm?"

"Um..." Bryt blinked, then guessed he wanted to know what hand she wrote with, "Left."

"All right, hold out your arm. Yes, like that," Mr. Ollivander pulled out a measuring tape, starting to take measurements of strange areas on Bryt's body, like from her knee to armpit and around her head.

"Each wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Miss..."

"Watkins," Bryt spoke up, realizing Mr. Ollivander was getting wands now and the tape measure was moving on its own, "Bryt Watkins."

"Right, Miss Watkins. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And, of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand. The wand chooses the wizard, or witch in this case."

Bryt started shifting uncomfortably as the measuring tape started going from her ear to chest when Mr. Ollivander gave a 'that's enough' and the measuring tape fell.

"Let's try this one, Miss Watkins," Mr. Ollivander handed Bryt a wand, "Hawthorn and unicorn hair. Seven inches. Give it a wave now."

Bryt, feeling like an idiot, waved the wand around and nothing happened. Her face grew red as Mr. Ollivander snatched it from her and shoved another in her hand.

"Birch, phoenix tail feather, nine inches."

Again, Bryt waved the wand, just to have it replaced again.

"Hazel and unicorn hair. Ten inches."

Bryt tried again, and again the wand was snatched from her hand. It felt like Bryt had gone through at least twenty wands by now.

"Stubborn customer, aren't you?" Mr. Ollivander commented, picking up another wand, "Well, let's try this. Willow, dragon heartstring. Eight inches. Go on, then."

As soon as the wand was in Bryt's hand, she knew it was different. It sent a warm sensation up Bryt's arm and when she gave it a wave, it set off a shower of fiery orange sparks. Bryt started grinning brightly. This had to be her wand.

"Bravo! Bravo, Miss Watkins!" Mr. Ollivander said and Sprout applauded from her chair.

Bryt grinned and paid for her wand, leaving the shop with it still in the box, pushed down into a pocket of Bryt's pants. Bryt decided to get her cauldron next, seeming fascinated with the different types they had, but finally got what was specified on her list. In the Apothecary shop, which smelled horribly of rotten eggs, Bryt couldn't seem to pull herself from the different ingredients all around. Herbs, dried roots, and bright powders packed in jars were all over the shop. Bryt was finally had to be almost pulled from the shop after she got her scales, phials, and a kit of basic potions ingredients, which she was carrying in her cauldron now.

Bryt spent even more time in a small shop to get her parchment and quill. She bought herself a wild turkey feather quill and two bottles of ink, one black and one a fiery orange color.

"Just your robes and school books left," Sprout commented as they finally left the shop.

"Robes next, then," Bryt said, following the Herbology professor towards a shop called Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.

Bryt went inside with Sprout and they were greeted by a small, smiling witch in long robes.

"Hogwarts, I take it?" she asked kindly, "I have another young girl already being fitted in the back, follow me."

Bryt put down her things and went to the back of the shop where she saw a girl around her age standing on a stool, seeming to have no trouble keeping still as a second witch pinned up black robes on her. The girl had a head of long, bushy brown hair that matched her brown eyes.

"Right over here, miss," Madam Malkin led Bryt over to the second stool and Bryt stood on it so she could start to be fitted.

"Hello, are you going to Hogwarts, too?" the bushy-haired girl had an almost bossy-sounding voice and rather large front teeth.

"Yeah," Bryt nodded, having trouble keeping still. Madam Malkin kept fussing at her, "All of this is really hard to believe, though. I didn' know anythin' about magic this mornin'."

"I think all of it's fascinating," the girl grinned, "I'm like you, I didn't know anything about it before I got my letter. I was thinking about buying a few extra books, to learn all I can before school starts. It seems only natural, don't you think? Oh, I'm Hermione Granger, by the way."

Bryt giggled lightly. Hermione was starting to remind her of her old friend Julio.

"I'm Bryt Watkins," she said, "My school books're actually all I have left to get after my robes."

"Your accent, are you from the States?" Hermione asked.

"Charleston, South Carolina, USA," Bryt grinned, "How 'bout we go to the bookstore together? We'll both be heading the same way, anyway."0

Hermione gave a short nod. "So you're a Muggleborn, too?" she asked, "You said you didn't know about magic before this morning."

"Is Muggleborn what it's called?" Bryt asked, "Makes sense, and yeah, I am. I didn' wanna believe this at first, but I'm glad I finally did."

"It took me a moment to fully take it in," Hermione agreed, "But I think it's all terribly exciting. I can't wait for the school year to start."

"There we go, you're done," Madam Malkin said.

"See ya outside," Bryt grinned, hopping down from the stool and heading back to the front of the shop. She noticed for the first time that a tall woman was there. She looked strict and stern, her black hair tied into a tight not at the base of her head.

"Oh, Miss Watkins," Sprout grinned, "This is Minerva McGonagall, she will be your Transfiguration teacher."

"Hello, ma'am," Bryt grinned as Hermione came out of the back.

It turned out McGonagall was escorting Hermione through Diagon Alley, so the four went to a bookshop called Flourish and Blotts together. The shop was amazing, shelves going from floor to ceiling, all packed with books. After getting her school books, Bryt found herself drawn to several books on magical creatures. While Hermione bought several extra books on the history of the wizarding world, Bryt bought a second book on creatures, after she made sure she'd have enough money for her owl.

Outside the shop, Bryt and Hermione said goodbye, with a promise to look for each other on the Hogwarts Express, and Bryt followed Sprout towards Eeylops Owl Emporium. When they reached the store, Bryt noticed the same barn owl was still there and she wasted no time buying it. She immediately named him Joey as she headed towards the Leaky Cauldron with her things.

It was a long trip back to her house, but she was had enjoyed every minute of it. Once home, Bryt barely got her things inside when her three-year-younger twin brothers, Drew and Mike, appeared in her doorway.

The two boys were identical in every way from their brown hair and eyes to their thick-framed glasses and curious expressions on their faces.

"Mom said you were goin' to a school for _magic_," Drew said.

"And that you were a _witch_," Mike continued.

"She was right," Bryt grinned, sitting on the end of her bed and pulling out her wand, "See? This is my wand, it'll be how I cast magic."

"Cast somethin' now!" the boys chorused.

"Mike, Drew, leave her alone," Gregory Watkins, Bryt's father, appeared in the doorway. Bryt favored her father in appearance, though her hair was blonde instead of brown.

"It's fine, Dad," Bryt grinned, "I don' know any spells to do anyway, that's what I'll be learnin' at Hogwarts."

Mr. Watkins grinned just as Bryt's mother called that dinner was done. Bryt tucked her wand back in her pocket and headed to the kitchen with her brothers and father, the entire dinner being spent with the three constantly asking Bryt questions about Diagon Alley. Mrs. Watkins kept quiet, watching her husband and sons in amusement as Bryt answered all the questions she could.


	3. The Hogwarts Express

Over the rest of the summer, Bryt found herself unable to keep her mind off her schoolbooks. She spent all her time curled up on her bed, reading them. She couldn't really grasp much with most, but she seemed to easily absorb every word of _Magic Drafts and Potions_. Somehow, the potions seemed to really fascinate her. Another book she took in greatly was her copy of _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_. By the time September first came, Bryt had read the textbook so many times, she practically had it memorized.

Bryt had woken up before the sun on September first. She had dressed quickly and pulled her hair into pigtails before going through her trunk several times to make sure she had everything packed and ready. She also checked again to make sure Joey was safe and secure in his cage before sitting back on her bed and studied her wand, though she had done it quite often ever since she got it.

By the time the rest of her family was awake and it was time to go, Bryt was getting nervous. What would Hogwarts be like? Would she be able to fit in? How behind would she be considering she was from a non-magical family? The only comfort that seemed to come up was that she knew she would have at least one friend. After all, she had seemed to get along fine with Hermione back in Diagon Alley.

"Are you sure you'll be okay by yerself?" Mr. Watkins asked as he pulled his airport-assigned van, from Mr. Watkins' workplace, into a parking space at King's Cross and helped Bryt get her trunk and owl onto a trolley.

"Yeah, m'fine, Dad," Bryt grinned, "Professor Sprout told me howta get onto the platform, so I'll be okay."

"Right," Mr. Watkins grinned, hugging Bryt tightly, then ruffling her hair, "Write home a lot, okay?"

"I know," Bryt grinned, "I'll send Joey off with a letter to ya telling you all about my first day."

Bryt waved goodbye to her father before pushing her trolley along, looking for platforms nine and ten. She glanced at her watch and noticed it was ten o'clock. She was an hour early, but that just meant she'd be able to find a good place to sit.

Once Bryt reached platforms nine and ten, she looked around her at the people bustling past. None seemed to be paying any attention to her. Bryt took a deep breath and stared intently at the barrier between the two platforms. Sprout had said to get onto nine and three-quarters, you just had to go at the barrier between nine and ten.

Bryt took a deep breath and squeezed her eyes shut, pushing her trolley forward and breaking into a short run at the barrier. She expected to crash, she but never did. When she finally slowed down and opened her eyes, Bryt found herself on a completely new platform where a scarlet train was waiting and people were bustling around. Bryt looked over her shoulder at the iron gateway where a wall had once been with 'Platform 9 ¾' printed above it.

Bryt gave a half-laugh, relieved that she had actually made it. She went to the train and got help from an older student to get her trunk onto the train before deciding to skip most of the half-empty compartments towards the front and go straight for one in the back of the train that had no one in it. Bryt plopped herself down into a seat and found herself lost in watching the witches and wizards on the platform until it was nearly time to go when a voice caught her attention.

"Do you mind if I join you?"

Bryt looked over to see a boy possibly as scrawny as her with a mess of black hair and bright green eyes set behind bottlecap glasses held together by a lot of tape.

"Sure," Bryt grinned, standing up, "Need help with yer trunk?"

The boy nodded. "I'm Harry Potter, by the way."

"Bryt Watkins, nice to meetchya."

Harry seemed to look uncertain about something, possibly Bryt's thick Southern drawl. Bryt just grinned and went back with Harry to help him with his trunk. They were struggled with it and ended up dropping it on Harry's foot. Harry had immediately yelped and Bryt flushed, apologizing quickly.

"Need a hand?"

Both Bryt and Harry turned to see a red-head had come up.

"Yes, please," Harry said.

"Oy! Fred! C'mere and help!"

Bryt blinked as an identical red-head made his way over. With their help, though, they managed to get Harry's trunk into the compartment. Harry thanked them as he pushed his hair from his eyes and Bryt noticed a scar in the shape of a lightning bolt in the middle of the boy's forehead. The twins seemed to notice it, too, for one had pointed at Harry's forehead.

"What's that?" he asked.

"Blimey!" the other said, "Are you...?"

"He _is_," the first continued, "Are you?"

"...I'm lost," Bryt said.

"_You're Harry Potter!_" the twins said together.

"Oh...yeah..." Harry said slowly, his face going red as the twins stared. Bryt was about to speak up when a voice drifted over the crowd.

"Fred? George? Are you there?"

"Coming, Mum!"

The twins looked back at Harry again before heading off and Bryt sat back down across from Harry.

"What was all that about?" she asked, "You famous or somethin'? Knowin' my luck, you are. Jus' like me to run into someone famous and not know it. Don' know much about magic, after all."

"You're not from a magical family?" Harry asked.

Bryt shook her head.

"I think it was called Muggles, or something," she said, "What about you? 'Guessing yer from magic since everyone seems to know ya."

"Not exactly," Harry said slowly, "I don't remember much about what made me famous, but my scar came from this evil wizard who ruled, named Voldemort. He killed me parents and tried to kill me, but didn't succeed. That's why I'm famous."

Bryt stared at Harry, opening her mouth several times to say something, but nothing would come to mind.

"Sorry," she finally managed to get out.

"You would have heard sooner or later," Harry said, "At least this way you don't look like an idiot in front of others."

Bryt laughed. "I have that covered already, one more thing I don' know about won' make a difference."

In the middle of Bryt's sentence, the train had slowly begun moving and Bryt felt her heart pound as she grinned with excitement. The realization was hitting her for the first time. She really was on the train. She really was going to a school of magic...

The door slid open and a red-haired boy stuck his head in. Bryt noticed he had some dirt on his nose as he pointed to an empty seat by Harry.

"Mind if I join you two? Everywhere else is full."

"Go right ahead," Bryt grinned and Harry nodded.

As the boy sat down, Bryt noticed he was staring at Harry. Harry seemed to be pretending not to notice as the boy looked past Harry and out the window.

"I'm Bryt Watkins, by the way," Bryt spoke up, trying to start a conversation.

"Hey Ron."

Bryt looked over to see Fred and George had come in before the boy could have responded.

"Listen, we're going to the middle of the train—Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."

Ron mumbled something, but Bryt couldn't quite catch it. Besides, the second twin had turned to Harry.

"Harry, did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. This is our brother Ron. Who's your friend?"

"Bryt Watkins," Bryt grinned.

The twins grinned back and gave a 'see you later' before disappearing back into the compartment hallway.

"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron asked bluntly.

"Yeah," Harry said with a nod.

"Oh...I thought it was one of Fred and George's jokes..." Ron said, "And have you really got...you know..."

Ron pointed at Harry's forehead and Harry pushed back his hair.

"I don' see why you wanna stare so much," Bryt said, "Harry told me he couldn' remember any of it, anyway."

"You can't?" Ron asked. Bryt sighed.

"A lot of green light, that's it," Harry said.

Bryt went to looking out the window, but she could see Ron and Harry's reflections and that Ron was staring at Harry again.

"So, what 'bout you, Ron?" Bryt turned back to the two, wanting to divert Ron's attention. After all, she felt Harry didn't want to be stared at, "Yer family all magic users?"

"I think so, yeah," Ron said, turning to Bryt, "I think my mum has a second cousin who's an accountant. We don't talk about him. You?"

"Muggleborn," Bryt said with a grin, "Found out a little after I moved here from the U.S."

"What are Muggles like?" Ron asked.

"My family's great," Bryt said with a shrug.

"Mine isn't," Harry said, "My aunt, uncle, and cousin are horrible. Wish I had a couple of wizard brothers."

"Five," Ron said sourly, "I'm the sixth to go to Hogwarts. You can say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left—Bill was Head Boy and Charlie was captain of the Quidditch team. Now Percy's Prefect. Fred and George joke around a lot, but they get good marks and everyone thinks they're funny. I'm expected to live up to their expiations, but if I do something, it doesn't matter. They've done it first. Never get anything new, either, with five older brothers. Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat."

Ron pulled out a fat, sleeping gray rat from his pocket and Bryt yelped, stumbling back in her seat.

"Keep that away from me!" she said.

Harry and Ron both gave Bryt a strange look.

"I don' like rats," Bryt said weakly, staring at the rat in Ron's hand.

Ron put the rat down between him and Harry and Bryt made sure to stay away from it as much as possible.

"His name is Scabbers," Ron said, "Completely useless. All he ever does is sleep—"

"Good, that's fine, just keep him away from me," Bryt said, staring at the rat as if it would jump her at any second.

Ron looked over at her before continuing.

"Percy got an owl from Dad for making prefect, but they couldn't aff—I mean...I got Scabbers."

Ron went pink as he looked out the window.

"There's nothin' wrong with not being ableta afford an owl," Bryt said, though she felt weird saying it since Joey was in the luggage rack above her head.

"I couldn't until a month ago," Harry spoke up, "I always had to wear my cousin's old clothes and never got proper gifts."

That seemed to cheer Ron up some and Harry continued.

"And until Hagrid had told me, I didn't know anything about being a wizard or my parents or Voldemort—"

Ron gasped and Bryt stared at him.

"What? It's jus' a name," Bryt said, but Ron didn't seem to hear her.

"_You said You-Know-Who's name!_" Ron sounded shocked, but impressed at the same time, "I thought you of all people...I mean..."

"I don't _mean_ to," Harry said slowly, "I didn't know you're not supposed to say it."

"It's jus' a name," Bryt huffed, "I mean, it's not like it's the guy himself."

"Seems we have loads to learn," Harry sighed, looking at Bryt, "I bet I'll be the worst in the class."

What Harry said made it dawn on Bryt just how much of a drawback she was at.

"No, that'll be me," Bryt grumbled, slumping back. After all, she barely understood any of the text books.

"There are plenty of students from Muggle families," Ron said, "They all learn quick enough. You two will be fine."

Bryt grinned a little in thanks and they continued their conversation until around half past noon when a smiling woman opened the compartment door.

"Anything from the trolley, dears?" she asked sweetly.

Bryt felt her stomach growl and immediately got up, heading into the hall with Harry, but she blinked at the candies there. Pumpkin Pastries, Licorice Wands, Chocolate Frogs, Berty Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Cauldron Cakes, and other candies. Bryt and Harry pooled together their money and bought several of everything, deciding they were going to try it all. As they dumped the sweets next to where Bryt had been sitting, Harry sat on the other side of the pile.

"You two hungry?" Ron asked.

"Starving!" they both replied in unison, then laughed when they realized they had.

Bryt noticed Ron's sandwiches, then nodded to the pile.

"C'mern, help yourself," she said.

"Are you sure?" Ron asked uncertainly, though he was eying the sweets hungrily.

"Wouldn'ta asked if I wasn' sure," Bryt grinned.

Soon, all three of them were enjoying the sweets piled in the chair, Ron's sandwiches abandoned nearby.


	4. Arriving

Bryt was enjoying her time with Ron and Harry, they seemed to have become fast friends as they shared the pile of candy and talked about anything that came to mind, though most of the conversation was Ron asking about Muggles while Bryt and Harry asked about the wizarding world.

"These ain't real frogs, are they?" Bryt asked, picking up a pack labeled Chocolate Frogs.

"Nah," Ron shook his head, "But check the card, I'm missing Agrippa."

"What?" Bryt and Harry asked together as Harry had picked up a Chocolate Frog himself.

"Oh, you two don't know, right," Ron said, "Each pack has a card inside of a famous witch or wizard. I have about five hundred, only missing Agrippa and Ptolemy."

Bryt nodded as she opened her pack and looking at the card to see the name 'Merlin' under the picture.

"So this is Dumbledore!" Harry said and Bryt looked up.

"Who?" she asked.

"Don't tell me you've never heard of Dumbledore!" Ron said, then grabbed a Chocolate Frog himself. Bryt leaned over to read the card over Harry's shoulder.

'ALBUS DUMBLEDRE  
CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS

Considered by many as the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is partially famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.'

Harry turned the card back over and Bryt gasped.

"He's gone!" they both said.

"Of course! You can't expect him to hang around all day, can you?"

"Muggle pictures don' exactly move," Bryt said, looking back to her own card to see that Merlin, too, had disappeared from his card.

"Not at all?" Ron asked in awe, "_Weird_!"

Once they were through the Chocolate Frogs, Bryt and Harry split the cards so they could both start collecting and Harry picked up a box of Berty Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

"Be careful, they mean every flavor," Ron said, "George reckons he got a boogie flavored one once."

Bryt wrinkled her nose, but braved herself up enough to stick one in her mouth to find it tasted like rotten eggs. She immediately spat it out with a 'yech!' and decided she didn't want to try another one. Ron and Harry seemed to find it amusing, for they had started laughing. Bryt retaliated by taking a few of the beans and throwing them at the two boys, which only caused them to laugh more. Deciding not to waste any more, Bryt sat back and watched Ron and Harry test their luck. Hours later, a tearful-looking round-faced boy poked his head into the compartment.

"Sorry, but have you seen a toad at all?" he asked.

"No, sorry," Bryt said as Ron and Harry shook their heads.

The boy didn't seem to like the answer as he cried out.

"I've lost him!" he cried, "He keeps getting away from me!"

"He'll show up," Bryt said, "We'll keep an eye out."

The boy nodded and left.

"Don't see what he's upset about, really," Ron said, "If I had a toad, I'd try to lose him on purpose. Can't say much, though. I have Scabbers."

Remembering the rat on the seat across from her, Bryt looked down at the furry creature in disgust.

"He could die and you wouldn't know the difference," Ron said simply, "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you..."

Ron pulled out a battered-looking wand from his trunk.

"Part of the unicorn hair is poking out," Ron sighed, but turned back to Scabbers.

Just as he done so, the round-faced boy returned, this time Hermione was with him, dressed in her school robes. Bryt suddenly grinned brighter. She had gotten so caught up in talking with Harry and Ron, she completely forgotten to hunt down where Hermione was on the train.

"Has Anybody seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said.

"Hi, Hermione!" Bryt said, "No, we haven' seen a toad, we told Neville earlier, but Ron was jus' abouta show us a spell."

"Oh really?" Hermione turned to Ron, who still had his wand raised, "Come on, then. Let's see it."

Ron cleared his throat before turning to Scabbers.

"_Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow  
Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow._"

Ron waved his wand, but, not surprising to Bryt, nothing happened.

"Are you sure that's even a real spell?" Hermione asked, "It's not very good. I've tried a few simple spells myself, for practice. They've all worked for me. Nobody in my family has magic except me, it was such a surprise when I got my letter, but so pleased. From what I've heard, Hogwarts is the best school there is for magic. I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough—I'm Hermione Granger, by the way. I already know Bryt, and she said you're Ron." Hermione turned from Ron towards Harry. "Who're you?"

Bryt started laughing, she couldn't help herself. She looked between Ron and Harry, who were staring at each other in shock.

"Er...Harry Potter," Harry finally said, looking back at Hermione.

"Are you really?" Hermione asked, "I know all about you, of course—I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in _Modern Magical History_, _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_, and _The Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_."

Bryt blinked and looked over at Harry. He looked just as shocked as she was at the news.

"Am I?" Harry asked slowly.

"Goodness, don't you know?" Hermione asked, "I tried to find out everything I could. It's only natural, if you ask me. Do any of you know what House you'll be in? I've been asking around. I hope I'm in Gryffindor. It seems the best, though Ravenclaw wouldn't be so bad. Anyway, you three should change into your robes. We should be there soon. Come on, Neville. Let's go find your toad. It was nice to see you again, Bryt."

Hermione headed out with Neville and Bryt stared after Hermione.

"So you met her before?" Ron looked at Bryt.

Bryt nodded. "We went to Diagon Alley together to get our school supplies. I wouldn' read too much into her rambling, though. I have a friend back in Charleston who acts basically the same, and despite all the study-focus, he's a really nice guy."

Ron mumbled something that Bryt couldn't hear, then continued louder, "Anyway, whatever house she's in, I hope it's not mine."

"What house are your brothers in?" Harry asked.

"Gryffindor," Ron sounded gloomy, "I don't know what will happen if I'm not in Gryffindor...But Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad. Better than Slytherin, I suppose."

"Isn't that the house Vol-sorry, You-Know-Who was in?" Harry asked.

Ron nodded gloomily and Bryt was completely lost, so she decided to change the subject.

"So, yer brothers-Bill and Charlie-what do they do?" she asked.

"Charlie's working in Romania with dragons and Bill works for Gringotts in Egypt," Ron said, "Speaking of Gringotts, did you hear? Someone tried to break in. It was all over the _Daily Prophet_. But I don't suppose you two get that, living with Muggles."

"What happened to the thief?" Bryt asked, remembering the poem on the Gringotts door.

"Nothing, that's why it's such big news," Ron said, "Dad reckons it had to be a very powerful dark wizard. Nothing was stolen, they think, which is strange. So, what's your Quidditch team?"

"Quidditch?" Bryt asked.

"You don't know what Quidditch is?" Ron seemed horrified and immediately took it on himself to go into explanation of the game, everything from the four balls and their purpose, to the seven members of the team, to the games he's attended. Towards the end of the explanation, the compartment door opened again, this time three boys entering. The two on the side were big and rather dumb-looking, Bryt thought, but the one in the middle was pale with a narrowed face.

"Is it true?" the boy in the middle asked, staring at Harry in interest, "Word on the train is Harry Potter is in this compartment. You him?"

Harry nodded shortly, looking at the other two boys.

"This is Crabbe and Goyle," the pale boy said, "And I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."

Ron made a coughing sound that was probably a laugh at first. Malfoy glared over at him.

"Think my name is funny, do you?" he sneered, "No need to ask yours. My father told me all about the Weasleys. Red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."

"Lay off him," Bryt snapped.

Malfoy looked over at Bryt, studying her, then turned to Harry.

"You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter," he said, holding out his hand, "You don't want to be making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

"I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thank you," Harry said, not taking Malfoy's hand.

Malfoy's face went slightly pink.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said, "Unless you're a bit politer, you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around riffraff like the Weasleys and Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you."

Bryt was on her feet first, quickly followed by Ron and Harry.

"You better watch whatcha say, sleezebag," Bryt growled.

Malfoy gave a smirk, though Bryt noticed his lip twitched slightly.

"Going to fight us, are you?" he asked.

"Unless you get out now," Harry said bravely.

Bryt watched Malfoy's two friends. They were much bigger than her, Harry, and Ron. If it did come to a fight, she doubted they had much of a chance.

"We don't feel like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food and you seem to still have some."

Goyle had started for the Chocolate Frogs and Bryt and Ron started forward, but Goyle let out a howl as he jerked back. Bryt yelped and scampered back considering Scabbers was clinging to Goyle by the teeth. Goyle slung Scabbers off his hand, the rat hitting the window as Goyle, Crabbe, and Malfoy left the compartment in a hurry. Right after, Hermione came back in.

"What _has_ been going on in here?" she asked as Ron picked up Scabbers. Bryt backed away from Ron so quickly that she ended up tripping backwards into one of the seats.

"...It-he...okay?" Bryt forced out, not taking her eyes off the rat in Ron's hands.

"He went back to sleep," Ron rolled his eyes, then to Harry, "So you met Malfoy before?"

"In Diagon Alley," Harry said, "When I was getting my robes. Doesn't seem too fond of people from Muggle families."

"So that's why I instantly hated the guy!" Bryt said, which caused Ron and Harry to laugh. Hermione just gave Bryt a strange look.

"I heard about his family, though," Ron said, "They were the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they had been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He said Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go to the Dark Side."

"So, what's up, Hermione?" Bryt asked when Ron was through.

"Oh, you had better hurry up and put your robes on," Hermione said, "I've just been up to the conductor, and he said we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"

"We're fine, you head on," Bryt said. Hermione looked at the group anxiously before she finally left.

Bryt, Harry, and Ron pulled off their jackets and pulled on their school robes and Bryt noticed Ron's were a little short, his shoes visible beneath.

"We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time," a voice echoed through the train, "Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

Bryt felt her heart pound from her nerves and she looked over, relieved to see Ron and Harry looked the same. They decided to get as many of their sweets as they could into their pockets before beading through the corridor with the crowd. The train soon slowed and came to a complete stop. Bryt stuck close to Ron and Harry as they followed in the pushing crowd off the train and Bryt noticed a lamp nearby, held over the heads of everyone around.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?"

Bryt gasped at the giant man as she hurried forward, tripping over her robes and falling into the dirt. Harry and Ron helped her to her feet.

"All right there?" the tall man asked.

"M'fine," she said, still staring at the man.

"We got her, Hagrid," Harry grinned.

The giant man gave a nod before looking over the crowd gathering around him.

"C'mon, follow me—any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Bryt worked on brushing the dirt off her, failing considerably, as she headed through with her new friends. They went down the narrow path in silence, only broken by Neville's occasional sniffs.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "Jus' round this bend here."

"Look!" Bryt breathed when they turned the bend. They were on the edge of a large lake, the water black in the night light. But what Bryt was staring at was the magnificent castle of many turrets and towers that caught the attention from its perch on the mountain on the other side of the lake.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing at a large group of boats nearby. Bryt, Harry, and Ron quickly climbed into one, soon joined by Neville.

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who was in a boat by himself, "Right then—FORWARD!"

The boats began moving on their own, which fascinated Bryt as she looked around. When she leaned over the side of the boat, she caught sight of her reflection and wrinkled her nose. She was covered in dirt, she knew she had to look horrible.

"Heads down!" Hagrid called and Bryt looked back up. The first boats had reached the cliff. Boat by boat, students ducked down as they passed into a dark tunnel, following it until they reached a small harbor where everyone scrambled out of their boats.

"I look horrible," Bryt grumbled.

"No you don't," Harry spoke up, though Bryt thought he was lying.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" Hagrid called.

"Trevor!" Neville cried in delight, rushing over to Hagrid and taking his toad quickly.

With Neville reunited with his toad, the students headed up a passageway, led by Hagrid. They came up in a grassy area, shadowed by the large castle before heading up a flight of stone stairs and grouped up at the large oak door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"

Hagrid raised one of his hands and knocked three times on the door. Bryt suddenly felt her stomach tighten and she bit her lower lip, suddenly feeling more anxious than she had all day as she glanced over at Harry and Ron, who seemed to be feeling just as nervous as she was.


	5. The Singing Hat

The doors opened to Professor McGonagall standing on the other side, waiting on the students.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

The students followed McGonagall through the doors and Bryt stared around in awe, her mouth falling open at the sight of the room they had entered. It was larger than most houses she had seen, lit by torches. The most magnificent marble stairway Bryt had ever seen led to the upper floors.

"I can't believe this is a _school_!" Bryt whispered, staring around her, letting her eyes fall to a large doorway that softened the noise of hundreds of conversations on the other side. She wanted to move closer, to head through those doors and see what was on the other side.

McGonagall, however, led the group to a small side corridor, causing the students to cramp together, which was not something Bryt was comfortable with.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," McGonagall said, "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will take your lessons with your house, as well as sleep in the house dormitories and spend your free time in the house common room.

"The four houses are Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw. Each house has its own noble history and has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you house points while your rule-breaking will lose them. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will be awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whatever house becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few moments in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you smarten yourself up as much as you can while you are waiting."

McGonagall looked over towards Neville, whose robes were fastened under his left ear, to the smudge on Ron's nose, then, lastly, to Bryt's left-loose, dirty robes and face. Bryt bit her lower lip tried to brush the dirt off again.

"I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly."

With that, McGonagall left the students in the small corridor.

"How does this Sorting thing go?" Bryt whispered to Ron, still failing to get the dirt from her robes.

"Fred said it's some type of test," Ron said, "He said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."

Bryt felt a wave of nausea at the thought.

"I hope he was joking..." she said weakly, trying to ignore Hermione rambling off spells behind her.

Maybe Bryt would get lucky and they'd ask her something about potions, or about creatures...She'd do okay then. Bryt squeezed her eyes shut and tried to focus on her text books, trying to remember all she had read.

Several screams pulled her attention away from her thoughts, though, as she jumped and spun around to see several transparent, solid-white people floating overhead, seeming deep in conversation. Bryt let out a noise that has half-between a yelp and a gasp at the sight of them.

"Forgive and forget, I say," said one ghost that looked like a short, fat monk, "We ought to give him a second chance—"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves?" a second ghost, one in ruffles and tights, replied, "He's given us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost—I say, what are you all doing here?"

None of the students could get themselves to answer the ghost.

"New students!" the Fat Friar exclaimed, "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"

A few students gave awkward nods. Bryt was still staring at them with her mouth hanging open, not sure what to think.

"Hope you make Hufflepuff!" the Friar grinned, "My old house, you know."

"Move along now," McGonagall's sharp voice cut in, "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."

The ghosts slowly headed off through the wall and McGonagall turned back to the students.

"Form a line and follow me," she said.

Bryt soon forgot about the ghosts as she got into the line between Harry and Ron, her heart pounding and her stomach feeling like it was tied into knots. The line began following McGonagall back through the hallway and through the large doors. Bryt's mouth, once again, fell open in amazement as the stared around the room probably large enough to fit her entire house. She took in the faces staring at them from four long tables covered in golden plates and goblets before looking at the floating candles above them, then to the fifth table at the end of the room where several adults, obviously the teachers, were sitting. McGonagall led the students to in front of that table so they were facing out at the other students. Bryt let her gaze go down to her dirty appearance and she sighed again, deciding to finally give up on trying to clean herself up.

"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside," Hermione said from nearby, "I read about it in _Hogwarts, A History_."

Bryt blinked and noticed Harry was looking up, so she did, too, and saw what Hermione was talking about. It seemed as if here were no roof to the room, that it had just been opened to the sky above. Bryt stared at it in wonder until Harry nudged her and nodded to a stool with a hat on it that McGonagall had just placed in front of them.

"That part of the test?" Bryt whispered nervously as silence filled the hall. That is, until the brim of the hat separated and the hat began to sing:

"_Oh you may not think me pretty,  
But don't judge on what you see,  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
__A smarter hat than me.  
You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
And I can cap them all.  
There's nothing hidden in your head  
The Sorting Hat can't see,  
So try me on and I will tell you  
Where you ought to be.  
You might belong in Gryffindor,  
Where dwell the brave at heart,  
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry  
Set Gryffindors apart;  
You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are just and loyal,  
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
And unafraid of toil;  
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
if you've a ready mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,  
Will always find their kind;  
Or perhaps in Slytherin  
You'll make your real friends,  
Those cunning folks use any means  
To achieve their ends.  
So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
And don't get in a flap!  
You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
For I'm a Thinking Cap!_"

The hat bowed to the four tables as applause filled the room. Bryt looked between Ron and Harry, relief flooding through her.

"So we just got to try on a hat!" Ron whispered, "I'll kill Fred! He was going on about wrestling a troll!"

"There's no way they'd allow that," Bryt whispered hopefully.

Neither of her friends had a chance to reply for McGonagall had stepped forward with a long scroll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on this hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said, looking to the scroll, "Abbott, Hannah!"

A blonde girl stumbled to the stool and pulled on the hat, half her face disappearing under it. After a small pause, the hat shouted out "HUFFLEPUFF!" and the table at the right applauded as the girl hurried to them. The next student joined Hannah in Hufflepuff, but the one after her became a Ravenclaw, and the girl after him became a Slytherin.

The Sorting continued and Bryt's stomach began knotting up more and more. Her name would be at the end of the list, it always was, and it was one thing she hated. She always had to wait, and it always made her more and more nervous. She was now biting on her tongue to keep from rambling, a habit she had to calm her nerves.

The hat seemed to vary how long it took to decide where a student would go. Some were almost instantly, while others took longer, like Seamus Finnigan, a sandy-haired boy next to Harry, took nearly a minute before he was sent to Gryffindor.

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione seemed in a hurry for she practically ran to the stool and jerked the hat on as quickly as she could. Bryt fought back a laugh as she watched her.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Ron gave a groan next to Bryt and she glanced over at him a second. She looked over to Harry and noticed he looked even more nervous than she felt, watching the students.

"Let's just hope we all end up together," Bryt whispered, "Doesn' matter the house as long as we can hang out."

"And not in Slytherin," Ron added.

"Longbottom, Neville!"

Neville stumbled forward and sat on the stool. The hat seemed to take the longest time yet deciding with him and Bryt felt a wave of nausea again. How long would the hat take with her? Would she even end up in a house? That thought was one she didn't want to have and tried to force it from her mind.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat finally shouted.

Neville took off without taking off the hat and had to go back to give it to the next student. Bryt giggled lightly. She noticed from the corner of her eye that Ron was starting to give her weird looks, but she ignored them.

"Malfoy, Draco!"

Malfoy went up and sat on the stool, a smug look on his face.

"SLYTHERIN!" shouted the hat before it had really touched Malfoy's head.

"No surprise," Bryt mumbled. After what little she heard about Slytherin, and meeting Malfoy, she couldn't think of a better house for the boy.

The sorting continued, student after student. Slowly decreasing the number of students up front...

"Potter, Harry!"

"Good luck," Bryt whispered with a grin as Harry stepped forward. Whispers were filling the hall now, people trying to get a good look as Harry pulled the hat on, it dropping over his eyes.

Bryt bit her lip, rocking on her feet slightly and gripping at her robes as she watched Harry. The hat seemed to be taking the longest time yet with him.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat finally called out.

The loudest cheer so far erupted from the Gryffindors as Harry headed over, looking relieved. Fred and George had started shouting "We've got Potter!" which got Bryt giggling again. Soon, only five people were left to be sorted.

"Thomas, Dean!"

A tall black boy, even taller than Ron, headed to the stool and was soon made Gryffindor.

"Turpin, Lisa!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Watkins, Bryttanie!"

Bryt felt a wave of cold wash over her, as if someone threw ice water on her. She headed forward, nearly tripping on her robes. Ignoring the people looking at her, she sunk onto the stool and the faces at the tables disappeared as the hat dropped over her head.

"Hm...Lots of loyalty with you..." Bryt jumped slightly at the hat's voice. Of course, she had heard it sing, and shout out the houses for other students, it it hadn't said anything else. Now it was talking to her? Did it talk to anyone else?

"A fair girl, it seems...Not bad for a Hufflepuff...Yes, you would do great there..." the hat continued.

Bryt squeezed her eyes shut, trying to ignore the voice as she hunched up her shoulders and waited for the house she'd be in.

"But there's determination and courage, too....Ah, I know exactly where you belong...GRYFFINDOR!"

The last word was shouted to the hallway and Bryt felt suddenly excited. She pulled the hat off quickly and rushed her way to the table, sitting across from Harry and with a big, goofy grin.

"Weasley, Ronald!"

Ron looked pale and green as he slumped into the stool. Bryt silently hoped for Ron to join them and a second later, Ron became a Gryffindor. He made his way over and slumped down next to Harry.

"Well done, Ron, excellent," said a red-head that Bryt guessed was Ron's third brother Percy.

Blaise Zabini was the last student to be sorted, becoming Slytherin. Bryt's stomach began to growl and she looked to the empty plates, wondering when they would be able to eat, or even where the food was. She looked up at the head table and noticed Hagrid on one end and Dumbledore, who she recognized from Harry's Chocolate Frog card, in the middle. McGonagall took a seat at the table and Dumbledore stood up.

"Welcome!" he said, watching the students from behind his half-moon spectacles, "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I have a few words for you. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

"Thank you!"

Dumbledore returned to his seat as everyone cheered. Bryt began laughing.

"Is he—a bit mad?" Harry asked.

"Mad?" Percy asked, "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world. But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry?"

Bryt blinked and looked back at the table, grinning to see piles of different foods had appeared. Not caring how it got there, Bryt began piling her plate with some of everything. She always seemed to eat a lot, and now was no different. As she was half-through a third helping of potatoes, the ghost in ruffles and tights from earlier had drifted over.

"That does look good," he said sadly, staring at Harry's steak.

"Can't you—?" Harry started.

"I haven't eaten in nearly four hundred years," the ghost sighed, "No need to, but I still miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself? I'm Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of the Gryffindor house."

"I know who you are!" Ron blurted out, "My brothers told me about you! You're Nearly Headless Nick!"

"I would _prefer_ you call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy—"

"_Nearly_ Headless?" Seamus interrupted, "How can you be _nearly_ headless?"

Sir Nicholas looked irritated.

"Like _this_," he said, grabbing one of his ears and pulling his head to the side.

Bryt let out a yelp of disgust and dropped her fork, feeling as if she might be sick at the sight. It had seemed someone had tried to behead the ghost, but left a bit of skin, which was keeping the head attached. Nearly Headless Nick seemed pleased by the reaction he got and repositioned hid head on his shoulders and cleared his throat.

"So, new Gryffindors!" he said happily, "I hope you will help us win the house championship this year. Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable—he's the Slytherin ghost."

Bryt, Harry, and Ron looked over to see a ghost that made Bryt's stomach churn more than seeing Nick almost headless. Possibly it was the gaunt face, or the silver blood staining his robes. It did cheer her some to see that he was next to Malfoy, who was looking uncomfortable.

"How did he get covered in blood?" Seamus asked, seeming interested.

"I've never asked," Nearly Headless Nick said.

Bryt glanced over at the ghost at the Slytherin table again before going back to her plate of food and talking with her new friends, but it was some time before her appetite had come back.

As the meal was replaced by desserts, and Bryt piled her plate with some of everything, the subject of family was brought up.

"I'm half-and-half," Seamus grinned, "Me dad's a Muggle. Mom didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him."

Bryt laughed with the others as Ron turned to Neville.

"What about you, Neville?" he asked.

"Well, my gran brought me up and she's a witch," Neville explained, "But the family thought I was all Muggle for ages. My Great Uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off guard and force some magic out of me—he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned—but nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came round for dinner, and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by my ankles when my Great Auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced—all the way down the garden into the road. They were all really pleased, Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here—they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great Uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad."

"Wish I had an excitin' story like that," Bryt laughed, "Nothin' great ever happened with me."

"Ouch!"

Bryt turned to see Harry with his hand over his forehead.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"N-nothing," Harry said, looking off at the teacher's table, "Percy? Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?"

Bryt followed Harry's gaze to the man in a purple turban (who looked like he was expecting something to jump out at him at any moment) and who was next to him, a man of greasy hair and a hooked nose.

"Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous," Percy said, "That's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to—everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape."

"Doesn' look like a friendly guy," Bryt grumbled, turning back to her food. Of course, the class she was looking forward to the most was the one taught by a teacher who didn't want to be teaching that class.

Soon, the desserts, too, were gone and Dumbledore rose to his feet again,the hall falling silent.

"Ahem—just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered," he said, "I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well.

"I have been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.

"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Bryt gulped as Harry and a few others gave short laughs.

"He ain't serious..." Bryt said slowly.

"Must be," Percy said, "It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere—the forest's full of dangerous beats, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us prefects, at least."

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore called. Bryt looked over at the others for a second.

Dumbledore waved his wand slightly and a ribbon of gold flew out, forming words in the air.

"Everyone pick their favorite tune," he said, "And off we go!"

A mix of different tunes filled the air as everyone began singing:

"_Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,  
Teach us something please,  
Whether we be old and bald  
Or young with scabby knees,  
Our heads could do with filling  
With some interesting stuff,  
For now they're bare and full of air,  
Dead flies and bits of stuff,  
So teach us things worth knowing,  
Bring back what we've forgot,  
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,  
And learn until our brains all rot._"

Everyone was finishing at different times. Bryt didn't get to finish because she had begun laughing during the middle of the song, gaining strange looks from those around her. Fred and George were the last to finish, singing in a slow funeral march, which had Bryt laughing even more. Dumbledore conducted them until they were finished, then seemed to wipe a tear from his eye.

"Ah, music," he said, "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime! Off you trot!"

Bryt stood, suddenly very sleepy. She followed Percy with the rest of the first years up the stairways. Bryt became distracted, staring around at the paintings in amazement as the people in them moving around and whispering as they passed. When they came to a sudden halt, Bryt walked right into Harry's back.

"Sorry," she whispered, giving a yawn.

Walking sticks were floating above their heads and Bryt cocked her head at them, blinking. Percy took a step forward and a couple of sticks flew at him.

"Peeves," Percy told the first years, "A poltergeist." Then, Percy turned to the floating sticks, "Peeves! Show yourself!"

A wet raspberry sound was the reply.

"Do you want me to go get the Bloody Baron?"

A quick pop, then a little man with dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, sitting cross-legged in the air, a handful of sticks in each hand.

"Oooh!" he cackled, "Ickle Firsties! What fun!"

Peeves swooped down and everyone ducked, Bryt covering her head.

"Go away, Peeves, or Baron'll hear about this, I mean it!" Percy snapped.

Peeves stuck his tongue out before flying off, the sound of rattling metal echoing back.

"You want to watch out for Peeves," Percy told the first years as they continued on, "The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us prefects. Here we are."

Bryt looked up at the large portrait of a very fat woman wearing a pink silk dress and blinked, confused. Weren't they supposed to be going to their common room?

"Password?" the Fat Lady asked.

"Caput Draconis," Percy said.

The portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole. Bryt stared, amazed, then scrambled through with the rest of the students into a round, cozy room full of large armchairs. Percy pointed out the two stairways, one for girls, and one for boys, and Bryt headed up with the other girls until they found their room up in one of the towers. She and Hermione found they were in the same room, along with Lavender Brown, and one of the Patil twins, the other had been sorted into Ravenclaw.

The room itself was amazing, set with five four-poster beds clad with velvet, deep red curtains and a night stand beside each. Bryt noticed her trunk at the foot of the one closest to the door. Exhausted, Bryt changed into her pajamas and curled into her bed, asleep almost as soon as she pulled the covers around her.


	6. Lay of the Land

Of the girls in Bryt's dorm, Bryt got along with Hermione the most. Maybe it was simply because Hermione reminded Bryt of Julio, and it was nice to have at least some type of familiarity in her life after she had first been thrown into a new country, then found out she was a witch and was at a school for magic. Not only was she a Muggleborn, but a foreigner as well. Nothing about Hogwarts made much sense to her and it was great to have Hermione with her to sort it all out.

While Bryt got along great with Hermione, it had been another story with Parvati and Lavender. It wasn't that Bryt didn't like them, she actually liked them both a lot. It was simply no matter what, Bryt found it almost impossible to hold a conversation for longer than a couple of minutes with the girls. It could also be that neither Lavender nor Parvati was too fond of the fact that Bryt could sometimes have an almost hyperactive personality when she was in an extremely good mood or excited. They did become a little friendlier, though, after one night when Bryt pulled them into a pillow fight that had become so loud and was so late at night that McGonagall threatened the girls with detentions if they didn't settle down.

Bryt found out that she had the most in common with Harry and Ron. Bryt guessed it was due to her being a bit tomboyish and her habits of occasionally becoming loud and random, traits she had picked up from years of being around Sofí, who was the type of girl who seemed to be on a twenty-four-seven sugar rush. Bryt began spending most of her afternoons with the Harry and Ron, playing Exploding Snaps, a wizard card game that Ron taught her and Harry, or trying to struggle through their homework.

Bryt spent her mornings and classes with Hermione, though. She soon learned it paid off to have someone as smart as Hermione to sit next to in class. Bryt had tried several times to get Harry and Ron to give Hermione a chance, but neither seemed willing, so Bryt had to settle with splitting her days. Though Harry and Ron couldn't understand why Bryt wanted to be friends with Hermione, the bushy-haired girl seemed to be more accepting of Bryt's split time-spending. Hermione said it gave her more time to work on homework without Bryt's 'constant interrupting for help'. Bryt always laughed over that, once again thinking of her old friend in the States.

Trying to find classes and learn the layout of the castle helped Bryt and Hermione learn of several places to avoid in the school, one of which happened one day when Bryt stopped at a second floor bathroom.

"I'll only take a sec," Bryt said, pushing open the door to the sound of someone crying loudly. She looked over her shoulder at Hermione, who stared back at her. Whoever was in the bathroom sounded really upset...

"Er...Who's there?" Bryt asked, moving slowly towards the closed stall door, but she doubted whoever it was could hear her over all the crying.

"What's wrong?" Bryt asked louder as she knocked on the door, which caused it to open slightly. Bryt glanced at Hermione again before turning back to the door.

"Hello?" Bryt said cautiously, pushing the door open, then blinked when she realized the stall was empty. Bryt could have sworn she had heard crying, in fact, she could still hear it. Then, she suddenly realized where the noise was coming from.

"Er...Hermione?" Bryt said slowly, "The _toilet_ is cryin'..."

"What?" Hermione moved beside Bryt, looking over her shoulder.

"Why does Hogwarts have a _cryin' toilet_?" Bryt asked, even after moving paintings, changing staircases, and secret passages on early every floor, a crying toilet was still surprising.

The crying suddenly stopped and Bryt blinked, then yelped and stumbled backwards into Hermione, knocking them both to the ground as something flew upwards out of the toilet, splashing water everywhere as if it had exploded. There was a loud wailing and Bryt covered her ears, squeezing her eyes shut. When she finally looked up again, she suddenly found herself staring up at a floating, transparent girl with thick hair and glasses, and also looked extremely miserable.

"What are you two doing in here? Have you come to make fun of me, too?" she asked, looking between the girls.

"Er..." Bryt started as she got up, helping Hermione to her feet as well. She wasn't sure what to say to the ghost. In truth, she still wasn't completely sure what to think about any of them at Hogwarts. She blamed it on too many haunting stories back in the States, and Peeves flying around the castle, annoying anything he saw moving.

"No, of course not," Hermione spoke up, "But...Why are you here in the bathroom...in a toilet? Don't you think it'd be much nicer roaming the castle with the other ghosts? A bathroom isn't exactly the most...normal place to haunt."

The ghost girl's face swelled and she looked like she was about to explode. Bryt gripped Hermione's arm, trying to push her towards the door, wanting to get away from the ghost as quickly as possible. Thankfully, before the ghost-girl could say anything, the loud bell chimed throughout the castle.

"Oh no! We're late for class!" Hermione said.

"Then we better go!" Bryt started pulling Hermione to the door and they started down the hall in a hurry.

"I can't believe this! I've never been late for a class before," Hermione spoke up as they ran up a flight of stairs.

"That's not the worst thing, either," Bryt grumbled.

"What? What can be worse? We're going to be in trouble when we get to class!"

"I still have to pee."

As Bryt had hoped, Hermione started giggling, momentarily forgetting that they were late for their class.

They later learned from a third year girl that the ghost they ran into was called Moaning Myrtle, which Bryt thought was a very appropriate name. Apparently, she haunted that bathroom and was constantly crying and wailing, thus no one usually went in there. Bryt and Hermione decided that they would follow everyone's example and stay clear of that bathroom as well.

Ron and Harry also told Bryt at lunch one day about being caught by the caretaker, Filch, when they got lost on the way to class and were accidentally trying to get into the third floor corridor. They also said that Filch had a cat, Mrs. Norris, who seemed more like a watchdog and Filch was never far behind when that cat showed up.

With all the strange things in Hogwarts, the classes they took, and places and people to avoid, being a witch was a lot more complicated than Bryt had imagined. And, like with Muggle school, Bryt found out her skill in each class was varying greatly. She seemed to do okay with Herbology, which was taught by Sprout, and in Charms, which was taught by a small man named Flitwick. Transfiguration, though, had been a completely different story. Taught by their head-of-house, McGonagall, Bryt struggled greatly in the class, barely able to understand anything McGonagall said, and was glad she had Hermione sitting next to her to help. Though it did annoy Bryt when they were turning match sticks into needles and Hermione was able to do the spell easily.

"How can you do that?" Bryt groaned, staring at her own matchstick, which didn't even have the slightest hint of silver coloring.

"It's quite easy, all you have to do is focus," Hermione said.

"It's easy fer _you_," Bryt sighed, poking at her matchstick with her wand, pushing it off of her desk. She was positive that she had discovered what her worst class was going to be.

Bryt, along with several others, had been looking forward to Defense Against the Dark Arts, but Quirrell turned out to be a stuttering man that Bryt couldn't understand at all, and his classes were long and boring. Bryt had gotten into the habit of writing her letters home, which Hermione strongly disapproved of, as she had reminded Bryt once again as they left the classroom one afternoon.

"But I can't understand a word that guy says," Bryt grumbled in response, "He stutters! And then there's the accent, I still can't understand half of what y'all say sometimes. C'mon, 'mione, gimme a break? Please?"

Hermione stared at Bryt, who looked back at the girl with the most pleading look she could muster. A tactic she had seen Sofí use a lot on Julio after pulling one of her pranks.

"Only if you promise to try more," Hermione said, "No more writing letters in class. Try to pay attention."

"Deal!" Bryt said happily, "Oh, and Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"Can I copy yer notes?"

Hermione's response was to close her eyes and sigh, shaking her head.

Another class Bryt had trouble concentrating in was History of Magic. This one because the teacher was a ghost that Bryt was positive his goal was to increase the ghost population by boring his students to death with his drowsy, monotone way of carrying on the lessons. Bryt found it nearly impossible to stay awake during the class, and had to do even more begging from Hermione to share her notes afterward, mostly because Bryt would fall asleep over her own notes. Ron and Harry even thought it was hilarious after one class and it took Bryt nearly an hour to realize it was because she had a large orange ink smudge covering one of her cheeks. She swore then to somehow get back at the two for not telling her.

Friday morning came, signaling the last day of their first week of classes, and Bryt was excited because she was finally going to have the class she was looking forward to the most: Potions.

"Oh man, it's with Slytherins," Bryt sighed at her schedule when she saw who the class was with, "I think I'm jus' cursed. Class I'm lookin' forward to the most taught by that Professor Snape, _and_ with Slytherin...At least we finally _have_ the class. And Friday afternoons off!"

"A great afternoon to work on our homework," Hermione said as she buttered her toast.

"Blech," Bryt wrinkled her nose, piling her plate with bacon, "I have the weekend fer that. I wanna have some free time!"

Hermione just shook her head in a disappointing manner and Bryt grinned at her friend. She was about to say something else when owls swooped into the room, delivering the morning mail. Even after a week, Bryt still found herself staring up at the sight in awe. Joey was among them today, landing in front of Bryt and dropping a letter onto her pile of bacon before stealing a piece.

Bryt rolled her eyes at the owl before picking up the envelope, seeing she finally had a letter from Julio and Sofí. She immediately ripped open the letter and recognized Sofí's handwriting, and that she had used Bryt's old nickname.

_Hey, Brychelle!_

_I talked Julio into letting me write the letter this time. He thinks he should write because his handwriting is better, but I don't care. He'll just have to deal.  
_

_Anyway, glad to hear you're great! Julio and I are both fine. Oh, of course, he's hovering over my shoulder right now. And he wants me to stop putting things off and tell you our news. So you're a witch, right? Guess what? I am, too! And Julio's a wizard! We've always known about it, so we beat you to it! Ha!_

_Sorry we never told you before, but we weren't allowed. It's a rule of magic, even though I think that one sucks. Who cares if you tell your best friend you're a witch? I think Julio and I should have told you years ago, we always suspected it after that one Halloween. You remember? When you caused my tail to rip off? Not that you knew it was your fault then..._

_Anyway, Julio says you need to write back as often as you can and tell us all about Hogwarts, and I agree! I wanna know everything! Especially your friends! Is that Hermione girl really as nerdy as you got on the first impression? (I know, not your words, but you said she seemed like Julio! And that's nerdy!) What about Ron? He cute? And what about Harry Potter? You actually know him? I know all the stories, but, are they real? Does he really have that scar? And is __he__ cute?_

_Too bad electronics don't work around magic...Phone calls and emails were great, even though we never could while Julio and I were at school, anyway...But then we just had to send letters and they wouldn't take too long...Now we have to send letters overseas! I'm pouting now, by the way. And Julio just called me an idiot. So what else is new? He also says I should really stop writing down everything he or I do when I'm writing a letter. He thinks he knows best, but I think you should know what I'm doing. It makes everything more exciting, doesn't it? You should try it sometime.  
_

_Friendly Love Always!  
Sofí & Julio_

"No way, I'm gonna kill you two!" Bryt said in a half-laugh.

"Excuse me?"

Bryt looked up to Hermione staring at her and she flushed.

"Sorry, my friends from the States," she said, "Turns out they're a witch and wizard and never bothered to tell me, 'til I had written to them and said I'm a witch."

"We're not supposed to tell Muggles about magic, though!" Hermione exclaimed.

"They ain't Muggles," Bryt smirked, "Anyways, they've been my friends as long as I can remember. I jus' couldn' _not_ tell 'em...Even though they never told _me_."

"You didn't know they weren't Muggles! You're not supposed to tell _anyone_!" Hermione said again.

Bryt shrugged.

"Too late, besides, no harm done," she said, looking back down at the letter and noticing Julio's neatly cursive handwriting scrawled at the bottom of the letter.

_P.S. I've been looking for a good pen pal, Bryt. Maybe you can suggest one of your new friends? I'd really appreciate it._

Bryt grinned, already knowing the perfect person and she looked across the table at her bushy-haired friend, who was still staring at her in a tone that showed she disapproved of what Bryt had done.

"Hey, 'mione? Wouldja like to get a pen pal? Julio wants one and you'd like him. Y'two have a lot in common."

Hermione suddenly grinned, and Bryt thought that her offer was going to make up that Bryt told her friends she was a witch.

"Having an overseas pen pal would be really wonderful!" Hermione said.

"Great, you can write Julio and I'll send it off with my letter to them," Bryt stood up, "C'mon, we should get to Potions, I want good seats."

-----

**A/N:** For anyone curious, Bryt's nickname "Brychelle" came from Sofí deciding it'd be fun to merge Bryt's first and middle names. "Bryttanie" and "Michelle".


	7. Potions and Tea

Bryt was all but bouncing as she headed down the steps towards the dungeon. In her excitement, she nearly tripped over the last two steps, but managed to keep her balance, ignoring the looks people were giving her. Bryt noticed Harry and Ron with the rest of the Gryffindors up ahead and a smirk crossed her face. Without a word to Hermione, Bryt took off at a run until she got to her friends and threw her arms around Harry's neck from behind, laughing brightly as Harry nearly fell forward into the ground and Ron jumped, spinning towards Harry and Bryt.

"We finally have a Potions class!" Bryt said loudly, attracting stares from the other students who were nearby.

"Bryt, get off!" Harry said, trying to pry Bryt's arms loose from his neck and Bryt laughed louder, but dropped from Harry's back.

"Are you mental, Bryt?" Harry asked, staring at the blonde, "What was that for?"

"Revenge," Bryt giggled brightly, "Fer not tellin' me about that huge ink smudge on my face."

Ron rolled his eyes, probably thankful Bryt hadn't jumped him, as they went into the Potions classroom and found seats. Hermione arrived shortly after and took the empty seat on the other side of Bryt. Bryt was staring around the dark room and tried to avoid staring at the jars with preserved animals in them. A shiver went down her spine as she gripped her hands together in her lap and bit her lower lip. She had been looking forward to Potions, but this classroom gave her the creeps.

When Snape arrived, he began the class with a roll call, stopping at Harry's name and looking up.

"Ah yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new—_celebrity_."

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle began snickering on the other side of the room and Bryt shot them a glare. She hadn't seen Malfoy since the Sorting, but she still remembered how he acted on the train and would have loved to punch the boy in the face.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," Snape began in a soft whisper after finishing the roll call. Bryt turned from Malfoy and leaned forward in her chair.

"As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses...I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death...If you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach. Potter!" Snape turned to Harry, "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

_'Draught of Living Death!'_ Bryt thought, raising her hand up into the air excitedly. She had never had an answer to questions in class before, not even before she knew she was a witch. It was actually a great feeling for her.

"I don't know, sir," Harry said.

"Tut, tut—fame clearly isn't everything," Snape said, seeming to ignore Bryt and Hermione, who was also raising her hand. Bryt dropped her hand, glaring slightly at Snape.

"Let's try again, Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

It took Bryt a few seconds to remember the answer, but once she had, she threw her hand up in the air again, as did Hermione.

"I don't know, sir," Harry said again.

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?"

Bryt lowered her hand, looking over at Harry, who seemed determined not to break eye contact with Snape.

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

_'Same thing!'_ Bryt thought, accidentally hitting Hermione as she shot her hand into the air again. Hermione didn't seem to notice as she stood up as if to get her hand higher in the air.

"I don't know," Harry said once again, "But Bryt or Hermione might know. Why don't you ask one of them?"

A few weak laughs filled the room as Snape looked to Bryt and Hermione.

"Sit down," he snapped and Hermione obeyed instantly, "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite." Snape paused to look around the classroom. "Well? Why aren't you copying this down?"

Bryt immediately fumbled for her parchment and quill and began writing, along with everyone else in the classroom.

"And that will be a point from Gryffindor for your cheek, Potter," Snape said.

The class itself wasn't much better. Everyone had been divided into pairs and Snape hovered far more over Gryffindors than with the Slytherins. Snape seemed to only take a liking to Malfoy, even bragged on Malfoy's potion during the class.

"Stupid jerk," Bryt glared at their teacher as she and Hermione worked on their potion, "He shoulda let one of us answer the questions."

"I know, it's so unfair," Hermione said, sighing.

"Nota mention rude ta Harry," Bryt said, "Teachers shouldn' pick on students! That ain't right."

"This is a classroom, girls," Snape had come up behind them without Bryt realizing it, causing the girl to nearly drop the porcupine quills she was measuring out, "You're here to learn, not carry on your conversations. Another point from Gryffindor."

Bryt glared at Snape as he moved on to another group. She, then, turned back in front of her and went back to the porcupine quills.

"We were doin' our work, who cares if we talk?" she mumbled under her breath, though it was too low for even Hermione next to her to hear.

Half-through the class, Neville had melted Seamus' cauldron, causing Neville to break out in nasty boils since he was soaked in the potion. The rest of the class had pulled up onto their stools to avoid getting the potion on themselves.

"Idiot boy! I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"

Snape ordered Seamus to take Neville to the hospital wing, then turned to Harry.

"You—Potter—why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."

Bryt and Harry were both about to speak up when Ron cut them off.

"Don't push it," he said, "I've heard Snape can turn very nasty."

Bryt glared over at their Potions teacher, but turned back to her potion shared with Hermione. When class finally ended, Bryt told Hermione that she was going to stay with Harry and Ron and headed off to find her friends. She headed from the room and noticed Harry and Ron further ahead. Smirking again, she took off at a run towards them. She jumped Harry last time, this time she'd go after Ron.

"Cheer up," Ron was saying, as Bryt came up behind them, "Snape's always taking points off Fred and George. Can I come and meet Hagr-AH!"

Ron nearly lost balance, but he regained it quickly and Bryt adjusted her weight on Ron's back so she was resting her chin on his shoulder. Since Ron was taller than most his age and Bryt was shorter than most, Bryt's feet hung several inches off the ground now.

"Yer goin' to visit Hagrid?" Bryt asked excitedly, "Can I come too?"

"Get off me!" Ron snapped, freeing himself from Bryt and letting the blonde drop to her feet before he turned to face her, "Why do you keep doing that?"

"I told you, revenge," Bryt grinned, then turned to Harry, "So, can we come?"

"Sure," Harry nodded, "As long as you don't jump me again."

"Why don't you go attack your _other_ friend?" Ron asked.

"If yer talkin' about Hermione again," Bryt shot back, "_She_ wouldn' have let me walk around with ink on my face. Anyway, you should really lay off her. She ain't that bad, y'two jus' wantta think she's nothin' but a know-it-all and leave it at that. She's really nice, y'know."

"I still don't understand why you decided to be friends with her in the first place," Harry said.

"She reminds me of one of my friends from the States, I told yah," Bryt said, "And speakin' of that, I got a letter from 'em today. Turns out they're a witch and wizard, too. Knew all their lives." Something suddenly dawned on Bryt and she blinked, turning to Ron. "Wizard families don' know much about Muggle stuff, right? About things like electronics and all that stuff? It won' work around magic."

"Er...No, 'ee-lek-troh-niks'-" Ron stumbled over the word, watching Bryt as if he were afraid she'd jump on him again, "-wouldn't work. Magic interferes with it, messes it up. But my dad's obsessed with Muggle stuff, always taking it apart. Why?"

"Jus' I've been to Sofí and Julio's place a lot. Sure, they have a couple of things I thought was odd at the time, like their pet owl. But they have Muggle things. Like a TV and computers—"

"Excuse me, what?" Ron cut in, "tee-vee? Com-pew-ders?"

"Muggle things," Bryt sighed.

"A TV's a box Muggles have," Harry said, obviously trying to find a way to explain it, "It's something they use for entertainment and to learn about news. It has these...er...images on it that are...um...captured at one point and showed again on the TVs for Muggles. It's kind of like wizard paintings, but you can't interact with them."

"Not at all?" Ron seemed completely fascinated, "What about 'com-pew-ders'?"

"There these devices Muggles use to store information," Bryt tried to explain as simply as she could, "And they can also be used to communicate with other people through the 'Internet' and 'emails'. The second you send the message on an email, whoever you send it to automatically gets it and they can reply. No waitin' for an owl to fly 'cross the country and back."

"That's completely insane," Ron shook his head, though he still seemed fascinated.

"This is off-topic, though," Bryt said, "How can my friends have Muggle things? They said they've known about magic all their lives, so they can't be Muggleborn like me."

"Maybe someone in their family is Muggle?" Harry suggested.

"Maybe..." Bryt thought it over, "Oh! It has to be Mrs. García! I don' think she's a witch."

"No offense, Bryt, but you didn't think your other friends were a witch and wizard, either," Ron said. Bryt chose to reply by hitting him upside the head.

"Mrs. García went through school with my dad," Bryt said, "They've been friends for years, they even worked together before we moved here. And I know for a fact my dad ain't a wizard. I bet Sofí and Julio're like Seamus, they're half-and-half. Their dad has to be the wizard, and their mom's a Muggle."

"Okay, but did you _have_ to hit me that hard?" Ron asked, rubbing his head where Bryt had hit him.

Bryt just laughed and the three kept talking until Harry said they should get going and they headed out of the castle and across the grounds to the small hut on the edge of the forest. Harry knocked on the door and was answered by loud barks on the other side. Bryt raised an eyebrow and looked at her friends.

"_Back_, Fang! _Back_!"

The door opened and Hagrid poked his hairy face out. He grinned when he noticed Harry between Bryt and Ron.

"Hang on—_Back_, Fang!"

The door opened the rest of the way and Harry, Ron, and Bryt stepped inside. Bryt looked around the small, one-room hut and grinned. It seemed like a cozy little place to live, even though the furniture seemed to have been made far too big for a normal person. Then again, Hagrid _was_ much larger than a normal person. Bryt looked over to Hagrid and saw he was holding onto a very large black dog.

"Make yerselves at home," Hagrid grinned, letting go of Fang. The dog immediately jumped at Ron and began licking the red-head's ears.

_'He ain't that mean,'_ Bryt thought as she laughed, gaining a glare from Ron as he tried to push Fang away.

"This is Bryt and Ron," Harry said, introducing the two.

Hagrid looked over the them and seemed to study Ron's freckles.

"Another Weasley, eh?" he asked, "I spent half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the forest."

Hagrid put out a plate of rock cakes for the three and Bryt was eager to try one, but found it almost as hard as a real rock. She, like Harry and Ron, pretended to enjoy it, though, as the trio began telling Hagrid about their fist week. When they began explaining about their first Potions lesson, Hagrid, said not to worry about it.

"I wanna _enjoy_ Potions, though," Bryt huffed, "It's the only class I can _really_ understand. But I can't enjoy nothin' with a teacher like that."

"And he seems to really _hate_ me," Harry said.

"Rubbish! Why would he?" Hagrid replied, then turned to Ron, changing the subject, "How's yer brother Charlie? I liked him a lot—Great with animals."

"He's doing fine," Ron said, "Mum and Dad get letters every now and then about whatever dragons he's working with."

"D'you think he'd mind if I wrote and asked about his work?" Bryt asked and Ron suddenly stared at her with the same expression he had after Bryt had jumped on him and Harry.

"What?" Bryt asked, "I jus' think dragons are awesome. Heck, all magical creatures are. And actually _workin'_ with dragons? Now _that's_ somethin' I'd love to do!"

Hagrid gave a booming laugh and grinned at Bryt.

"Knew there was somethin' I liked abou' yeh," he said.

"Hagrid!" Harry suddenly exclaimed, causing Bryt to jump as she turned to her friend, seeing he was looking at a copy of the _Daily Prophet_, "That Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might have happened while we were there!"

Hagrid made a grunting noise as he looked away, offering the three another rock cake. Bryt looked over and exchanged a curious look with Ron and Harry, but they dropped the subject.

When it was time to leave for dinner, the three left with their pockets full of rock cakes, unable to turn away Hagrid's offer. Bryt hummed brightly, thinking about meeting up with Hermione after dinner. She couldn't wait to tell her all about Hagrid.

"Bryt, you're completely tone-deaf, did you know that?" Harry suddenly asked as they reached the castle.

Bryt started giggling.

"Sofí told me all the time," she said, "Though her words were I sounded like a dyin' whale that magically grew fingernails and started scratchin' 'em on a chalkboard. And that was when she was when she was bein' nice."

"Your _friend_ says that to you?" Ron asked.

"When she's being _nice_?" Harry added.

"Sofí always does stuff like that," Bryt laughed, "It's why I don' care too much what people say about me, Sofí always teased me endlessly about somethin' or other. But she's the best girl in the world to hang around, we always find the most interestin' things to do. Like once, I went campin' near a lake with her, Julio, and their mom when I was about eight. Sofí and I were explorin' the woods, even though we were supposed to be stayin' near the camp. We found a tree hangin' over the lake, so we decided to climb it and sit on the branch. Of course, neither of us had swimsuits, so we didn' plan to get in the water. But then Sofí decided to dare me to jump into the water and see how deep it was. Of course, at that time, I usually always did whatever she dared me to. Learned the water wasn' deep at all. Got completely soaked and broke my leg, and a pretty nice scar down the side of my leg where the rock cut into it."

It took Bryt a few seconds to realize that she was only hearing one set of footsteps. She stopped and turned around to see Ron and Harry several feet behind her, staring at each other with a strange expression.

"Bryt?" Ron finally said, turning back to the blonde, "You're mental."

"Yeah, Sofí used to say that too," Bryt laughed and turned back, heading into the Great Hall for dinner.


	8. Flying Lessons

Two weeks into the school year, Bryt learned the first years would get to do something she was both looking forward to and dreading at the same time. Flying lessons.

To make it worse, they would be sharing it with Slytherins.

"Typical..." Harry also shared Bryt's distaste for the lesson arrangement, "Just what I always wanted. To make a fool of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy."

"You won' be alone, so don' worry," Bryt said, grinning, "We'll make fools of ourselves together. And if Malfoy tries to say anythin' about yah, I'll punch 'im. Been lookin' for a good excuse to do that, anyway."

Harry gave a small grin at that.

"You two don't know you'll make a fool of yourselves," Ron spoke up, "Anyway, I know Malfoy's always going on about how good he is at Quidditch, but I bet that's all talk."

"Knowin' Malfoy, yeah," Bryt said, "Bet you he takes a nose dive the first time he's on a broom. Wham! Right into the ground. That's somethin' I'd love to see!"

Harry and Ron both laughed and Bryt grinned at her friends, glad that she could cheer Harry up some. Also joking around helped her ignore the fact she could very easily see it as _her_ being the one crashing into the ground. Hermione was acting as nervous as Bryt felt about flying, even going as far as to borrow _Quidditch Throughout the Ages_ from Bryt, hoping to find flying tips. Bryt herself had written to Sofí and Julio, asking about both Quidditch and her upcoming flying lessons, though she wasn't sure if she would receive a reply before the lessons took place.

The morning of their flying lessons, Hermione was rambling more and more about anything she thought might be helpful from the book while Neville listened intently. Bryt was getting annoyed and was just about to ask Hermione to be quiet when the Hall was filled with owls as the mail arrived.

As usual, Joey landed right in front of Bryt, stealing pieces of her bacon after dropping her letters into her food. She flipped through and found that Sofí and Julio's letter had arrived, as well as a second envelope with Julio's neat, cursive handwriting that spelled 'Hermione Granger, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry' on the front.

"Here ya go, 'mione," Bryt grinned, handing over the letter before opening the other. It was again in Sofí's unique handwriting that fell on the borderline of being messy:

_Hey Brychelle!_

_Obvious I talked Julio into writing again! He's off in his dorm writing to Hermione, sometimes it sucks that we're in two different dorms, I don't get to annoy him as much. The plus side is I can get away from his stupid nagging that I need to keep my grades up._

_Anyway, you wanted to know more on Quidditch? I can't help you with that. Julio's the Quidditch freak, and as I said, I can't get hold of him. I'm not a big fan of Quidditch, myself, I prefer Quodpot. I even made my dorm's Quodpot team this year! I mean, I get to play a game where there's a chance something will blow up in my face, how can you not love a sport like that? For some reason, Julio doesn't like it. I can understand Dad, he's from Guatemala and Quodpot's not very popular there, but Julio? He's grown up here, just like me! He honestly has no taste at all._

_And about your flying lessons, you should do fine, don't worry. It's kinda like riding a horse, each broom is different. Some only take a little nudge to turn or go the way you want, others you have to lean into more. And some can even have a horse's stubborn streak. Remember that summer we went riding and I got that horse that wouldn't move no matter what I did? I had an old broom sort of that on my first flying lesson. I crashed right into a tree on the grounds and ended up in the infirmary for a couple of days with a concussion._

_You have to visit over the summer, even if it's just for a week for my birthday! It wouldn't be the same having a birthday without you around...Promise me you'll come! We'll pay for your ticket if it comes to that. Dad owns a really popular Quidditch and Quodpot supply store, so we've got plenty of money. And you coming over will definitely make up for the fact that we won't be able to get together for Julio's birthday this year...It's just not going to be the same without you. Don't worry, like I promised before you moved, I'll be sure to keep up your tradition and give Julio a kiss on the cheek for you. Even though that's still months away._

_Too bad you don't have a camera with you at school. I'd love a picture of your new friends, and you in your robes! I can't quite picture you wearing them for some reason...All I get in my mind is that dorky excuse for a witch you dressed up as that year for Halloween._

_Well, I guess I'll end the letter here. It's so strange writing a letter without Julio hovering around me...He's just more interested in answering the letter from his new pen pal. Anyway, write back soon, okay?_

_Friendly Love Always!_

_Sofí_

Bryt swallowed hard, looking back over the letter. Sofí said she'd do fine, that it was like riding a horse. Bryt had rode horses several times before and it was always easy. What had Bryt worried was Sofí also said that in her first flying lesson, she had crashed into a tree and ended up with a concussion...

"It's a Remembrall!" Neville exclaimed from nearby and Bryt looked up to see the boy holding what looked like an oversized glass marble filled with white smoke, "Gran knows I forget things—this thing tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red—oh..." Neville's expression fell as the smoke inside had done just that—turned a glowing scarlet color, "...you've forgotten something..."

Neville was obviously trying to remember what he had forgotten when Malfoy drifted over to the Gryffindor table, grabbing the Remembrall from Neville.

Bryt, Harry, and Ron all quickly rose to their feet, but before anything could be said, McGonagall had appeared at the group.

"What's going on?" she asked sharply.

"Malfoy's got my Remembrall, Professor," Neville said.

Malfoy dropped the Remembrall back on the table with a 'just looking' before heading off with Crabbe and Goyle right behind him. Bryt glared after them before sitting down and looking over to see Hermione hadn't noticed the commotion. Her attention was completely on her letter. Bryt grinned slightly and turned to her letter from her brothers to distract her from her worries about their flying lessons. Mike and Drew were begging to know more about the magical world, despite the fact Bryt had sent them a lengthy letter about it just the week before. Bryt decided to wait until that night to start writing back, that way she could write to them about her flying lessons...If she didn't end up like Sofí and give herself a concussion.

**xxxxx**

When it was finally time for flying lessons, the Gryffindor and Slytherin first years found themselves on a flat, grassy field opposite of the Forbidden Forest on the Hogwarts grounds. Bryt's dread had returned as she stared at one of the several broomsticks laid out and she kept constantly repeating Sofí's words in her head: 'just like riding a horse'. The thought of Sofí's accident kept coming back, though, as she noticed the brooms they were using looked old...Bryt looked around the field and Hogwarts grounds, gulping slightly as she noticed how many trees were nearby. She couldn't help but wonder if she'd end up crashing into one of them and end up in the hospital wing. She wasn't so much worried about making a fool of herself in front of the others. What was worrying her was getting seriously hurt.

Soon, Madam Hooch, a woman with short, gray hair and hawk-like eyes, had come, looking over the students.

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" Hooch barked out, "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up!"

Bryt went to a broom between Ron and Harry, staring down at the broomstick, gulping as the thought of crashing came to mind again.

_'No, stop thinkin' that!'_ Bryt thought to herself, glaring at the broom just to have something to glare at, _'You ain't gonna get hurt!'_

"Stick out your right hand over your broom and say 'Up!'" Madam Hooch instructed.

There was a loud chorus of 'UP!' and very few brooms flew to the student's hand, Harry's being one of them. Bryt's, however, twitched a bit, but didn't move.

"Up!" Bryt called again, "Up, up, up! You stupid, overgrown twi-arh!!"

Bryt's broom had finally shot up, a little too hard as it slammed into her hand like a whip and she jerked back, glaring as she gripped her hand. Harry and Ron had started laughing and Bryt glared at them before holding out her sore hand and trying again. This time when she called 'Up!' the broom rose slowly to her hand.

After everyone finally managed to get their brooms, Madam Hooch instructed them how to mount, then walked around to check everyone. Bryt exchanged a grin with Harry and Ron when Madam Hooch brought up that Malfoy's mount wasn't right.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground hard," Madam Hooch explained, "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle—"

_'Here we go,'_ Bryt squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself to push off when Madam Hooch gave the call. Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest and she was gripping onto her broom so hard that her hands were hurting.

"Three—two—Come back, boy!"

Bryt opened her eyes and looked up to see Neville rising in the air, looking as panicked as Bryt had felt about flying. The boy rose until he was at least twenty feet up, then, he let out a gasp and fell from the broom, hitting the ground with a loud crack that made Bryt feel nauseous hearing, a shiver running through her body.

Madam Hooch made her way over to Neville, her face pale.

"Broken wrist," she muttered, "Come on, boy—it's all right, up you get."

She helped Neville to her feet before turning to the rest of the class.

"None of you are to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch'. Come on, dear."

Neville was crying as Madam Hooch led him off. The second the two were out of sight, Malfoy began laughing.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?" he called as the other Slytherins laughed.

"Lay off him, Malfoy!" Bryt snapped, moving forward and glaring at Malfoy.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom, Watkins?" Pansy Parkinson smirked, "Should have known someone like you would like fat little cry-babies."

Bryt tried to lunge forward, not from the insult to her, but the one to Neville. She didn't get far for Harry and Ron grabbed her arms, holding her back. She was about to tell them to let her go when Malfoy had moved forward, grabbing something from the ground. Bryt stopped struggling against her friends and just glared at Malfoy.

"Look! It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."

"Give that here, Malfoy," Harry spoke up quietly. Bryt hoped her friends would let go of her since that she wasn't struggling, but she didn't have any luck in that hope. They seemed to have forgotten they were holding her, but it hadn't loosened their grip.

"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find," Malfoy said with a nasty smile, "How about...up a tree?"

"Give it _here_!" Harry yelled.

Malfoy, instead, hopped onto a broom and soared into the air skillfully, stopping to hover near the top of an oak tree.

"Come and get it, Potter!" he called.

Harry finally let go of Bryt, which allowed her to pull away from Ron, and Bryt turned to see Harry had grabbed another broom.

"_No_!" Hermione shouted, coming up, "Madam Hooch told us not to move—you'll get us all in trouble."

Harry seemed to just ignore her as he mounted the broom and shot into the air. Bryt stared in awe, unable to believe that Harry had never been on a broom before. He seemed to have taken to the air so naturally.

Harry seemed to call out to Malfoy, but the two were too far up to hear. Then, Harry shot forward towards Malfoy, who barely dodged in time to avoid being knocked from his broom. Bryt and Ron let out loud cheers as they clapped with the rest of the group, except for Hermione, who was watching with an expression as if she wasn't sure if she should be annoyed, worried, or impressed.

Harry and Malfoy had another exchange of words, then Malfoy threw the Remembrall high into the air before shooting downwards. Bryt didn't pay him any attention, though, she was watching as Harry suddenly shot into a dive after Neville's Remembrall. Barely a foot from the ground, Harry seemed to snatch the sphere before pulling out of the dive and falling softly onto the grass. Bryt started to move forward to help Harry up, but a shrill voice made her freeze.

"HARRY POTTER!"

Bryt braved up enough to turn and see McGonagall running across the field towards the group as Harry slowly rose to his feet. Bryt got a sinking feeling in her stomach. McGonagall didn't look very pleased at all...

"_Never_—in all my time at Hogwarts—" she seemed both shocked and speechless as she stared at Harry, "—how _dare_ you—might have broken your neck—"

"It was Mal—" Bryt started, but McGonagall cut her off.

"Be quiet, Miss Watkins."

"But Malfoy—"

"That's _enough_, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now."

Bryt met Harry's worried gaze before he headed off and she turned to Ron, the excitement of what had just happened had disappeared instantly. Ron's expression matched exactly what Bryt was feeling right now.

"I told him not to," Hermione spoke up, "This is what happens when you break the rules."

Bryt didn't respond to Hermione, instead turning quickly towards Malfoy and the other Slytherins, who were laughing.

"This is yer fault!" she snapped, starting forward, but Hermione grabbed a hold of her arm.

"Don't start a fight!" Hermione hissed, "You'll only get yourself in trouble, too!"

"Yeah, Watkins," Malfoy smirked, "You wouldn't want to join Potter in the train back home, would you?"

"Lemme go," Bryt growled, jerking at her arm, wanting to punch Malfoy in the face.

"Shut up, Malfoy," Ron snapped from the other side of Bryt.

Malfoy looked like he was about to say something else, but Madam Hooch had returned and, despite the interruptions and Harry's absence, she had them continue their lesson in flying.

Still fuming at Malfoy, Bryt forced herself to turn away and go back to her broom. As she mounted her broom again, worry about flying quickly outweighed Bryt's anger at Malfoy.

"Now, on my whistle," Madam Hooch said, as if there hadn't been any interruptions.

Bryt squeezed her eyes shut again, bending her knees and bracing herself. Suddenly, Harry and Malfoy were the last things on her mind as all she could do was repeat over and over to herself that she wouldn't crash.

"Three—two—one—"

Madam Hooch blew loudly on her whistle and Bryt pushed off as hard as she could, feeling air rush past her. Slowly, she opened one of her eyes a crack, then realizing she wasn't falling, she opened both of her eyes and looked around. Most of the students were level with Bryt in the air and seemed to be sitting fine. Others, including Hermione, were gripping their brooms tightly and staring down at them, shaking as if they were having trouble keeping balance. Bryt was surprised she herself wasn't having any trouble with her balance and looked next to her and met Ron's eye, who flashed her a grin.

"All right, come back down now!" Madam Hooch ordered, "Lean forward slightly and come down nice and slow..."

Bryt gulped, hesitating a second, wondering if she'd lean too far and take a nose-dive into the ground. Slowly, she tilted her broom downward and leaned forward, dropping to the ground more quickly than she would have liked, feeling like she had when she went on a roller coaster the one summer she had been at a theme park for Sofí's birthday.

Thankfully, Bryt landed on her feet, unlike a few other students who ended up falling off their brooms. They practiced going up and down several more times until every student could land on their feet.

"Right, now, let's try flying forward a bit," Madam Hooch said, looking around at the students, "You'll rise a few feet off the ground, then push forward and fly about ten feet, then land. On my whistle—"

This turned out to be more difficult than just hovering. Bryt found her broom kept wanting to pull to the right and she had to struggle to keep it straight and not fly into Ron. Barely a foot from the end, the broom leaned again and Bryt forgot to pull back. She collided into Ron, sending both off their brooms onto the ground. Luckily, they weren't high enough that either of them could be hurt. The Slytherins, though, had found the situation hilarious and were laughing at the finishing point while Bryt helped a Ron to her feet and Madam Hooch and the other Gryffindors came over to make sure they were okay. Bryt and Ron both told their instructor they were fine and Bryt picked up her broom, feeling oddly relieved. Sure, she had crashed, something she had been fearing, but, oddly, she thought crashing into Ron and sending them both to the ground was actually funny.

"Sorry 'bout that," Bryt started laughing as Ron tried to dust himself off, "The broom kept leanin'. Should have known better to tell myself I wouldn' crash."

"I think that'll do for class today," Madam Hooch said, possibly after Bryt and Ron's crash, she wanted to end the class before someone had gotten hurt like Neville, "Head on back to the castle now."

With the lesson ended, the students started heading off towards the class and Bryt noticed Malfoy had a smirk on his face.

"Can you get more pathetic, Watkins?" he asked loudly, "Can't even fly a broom without crashing it."

"True, but at least I crashed with style!"Bryt shot back happily.

The smirk vanished from Malfoy's face as he stared at Bryt as if she were crazy. Bryt just grinned back at Malfoy before turning to Ron and Hermione.

"Bryt, I'll say it again," Ron said, grinning as he shook his head, "You're mental."

"Thanks," Bryt said. She pulled back up the sleeve of her robe, that had slipped off her shoulder during her crash with Ron, and suddenly sighed, thinking of Harry.

"I wasn' gonna give Malfoy the pleasure of gettin' his way with me. He's already got his way too much today," she said sourly, shoving her hands into her pants pockets, "And it ain't fair. Harry shouldn' have gotten in trouble, it was all Malfoy's fault."

"It's Harry's fault, too!" Hermione said, "He knew the rules, we weren't supposed to fly."

"And you think it's fair that only Harry got in trouble?" Ron shot back, "Malfoy was breaking the rules, too!"

"No, of course I don't think it's fair," Hermione huffed, "But Harry should have stayed on the ground and waited for a teacher."

"Both of you drop it," Bryt cut in, not wanting to listen to an argument, "Let's jus' go see if Harry's in the common room." Bryt turned to Hermione. "I'll see you later, okay?"

Hermione looked like she wasn't done with whatever she had to say about Harry, but she managed to kept quiet and Bryt gave her a grin before turning back to Ron.


	9. The Duel

When dinner time came, Bryt and Ron sat next to each other, but Bryt didn't have much of an appetite. She had her head rested into her hand, poking at her food with a fork. She only looked up when Harry sunk into the seat across from her and Ron.

"...When doya leave?" Bryt asked quietly.

"I don't," Harry said, beginning to fix himself some food.

"What?" Bryt and Ron both straightened up, staring at Harry.

"Professor McGonagall took me to meet the Quidditch captain, Oliver Wood," Harry said, "Apparently, I have a lot of skill because I've been made Seeker on the Gryffindor team."

"You're _joking_!" Ron exclaimed, staring at Harry with wide eyes, "_Seeker_? But first years _never_—you must be the youngest house player in about—"

"—a century," Harry interrupted, sticking a forkful of food into his mouth, "Wood told me."

"That's..." Bryt started, trying to find something to say. Harry was Seeker? It was amazing news, especially since she was positive Harry would be on a train home by now. Ron seemed just as speechless as he stared at Harry with his mouth opened slightly.

"I start training next week," Harry said, "Only don't tell anyone. Wood wants to keep it a secret."

At that moment, Fred and George appeared at the table, grinning.

"Well done," George said, "Wood just told us. We're on the team, too—Beaters."

"I tell you, we're going to win the Quidditch cup for sure this year," Fred grinned, "We haven't won since Charlie left, but this year's team is going to be brilliant. You must be good, Harry. Wood was practically skipping when he told us."

"Anyway, we've got to go. Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passageway out of the school."

"Bet it's the one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found in our first week. See you."

As soon as the twins were gone, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle had taken their place behind Harry.

"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?"

"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you," Harry replied.

Bryt smirked as Malfoy obviously didn't like that response.

"I can take you on anytime on my own," he said, "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only—no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?"

"Of course he has," Ron spoke up for Harry, "I'm his second, who's yours?"

Malfoy looked over his shoulder at Crabbe and Goyle, as if he were comparing the two.

"Crabbe," he said, turning back around, "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked."

As Malfoy left, Bryt and Harry both looked at Ron.

"What _is_ a wizard's duel?" Harry asked.

"And what'dja mean yer his second?"

"Well, a second's there to take over if you die," Ron said casually.

"_Die_?" Bryt echoed, "And you got him into this?"

"People only die in proper duels," Ron continued quickly, "You know, with real wizards. The most you and Malfoy'll be able to do is send sparks at each other. Neither of you knows enough magic to do any real damage. I bet he expected you to refuse, anyway."

"You didn' give him a chance to," Bryt commented.

"What if I wave my want and nothing happens?" Harry asked before Ron could reply to Bryt.

"Then I'll slug him for ya," Bryt said simply, then when Ron and Harry gave her a strange look she continued, "You two don' seriously think I'm gonna stay behind, do ya? I'm comin'."

"Excuse me."

Bryt looked up with Ron and Harry to see Hermione had come over.

"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" Ron groaned, then yelped as Bryt slammed her foot down on his under the table.

"I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying—"

"Bet you could," Ron muttered. Bryt tried to stomp on his foot again, but Ron had moved his foot out of the way. Bryt chose to elbow him hard in the side instead.

"—and you _mustn't_ go wondering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you."

"And it's really non of your business," Harry said.

"Good-bye," Ron added.

"That was really rude, guys," Bryt glared at her friends as Hermione spun around and left.

"It's her own fault," Ron said, "She shouldn't stick her nose into our business. I'll never understand what you see in her, Bryt."

"If you jus' give her a chance," Bryt snapped, "I told ya, Hermione's a really great girl! Now, excuse me, I'm gonna go apologize for yer rudeness."

Bryt stood up before Harry and Ron could reply and left the Great Hall to look for Hermione. It was almost an hour before she finally found in their dormitory, writing on a piece of parchment.

"Letter?" Bryt asked as she sat on her own bed, looking at Hermione.

Hermione just gave a small nod and Bryt sighed, guessing Hermione was blaming Bryt as well for Harry and Ron.

"Listen, 'mione," Bryt said, "What Ron and Harry said was really rude, I'm sorry. I've been tryin' to get them to get to know you, but boys're stubborn and—"

"You have to talk them out of it," Hermione cut Bryt off, looking up at her.

"Huh?"

"The duel tonight, you have to talk them out of it," Hermione said, "You're going to get into so much trouble! You could lose Gryffindor a lot of house points!"

"Hermione..." Bryt started, "I ain't gonna be able to talk those two out of goin', and, truthfully, I don' want to. We've got a chance to _really_ put Malfoy into his place, to shut him up."

"Malfoy could very easily be lying," Hermione said, "He could be just trying to lure Harry to the trophy room to get him into trouble."

Bryt bit her lower lip. She knew Hermione was right, and she wondered why she hadn't thought of it herself.

"And if he's not lying," Bryt kept up anyway, "And Harry doesn' show, Malfoy'll jus' have somethin' else to gloat over."

Hermione didn't give up. She continued to lecture Bryt until Parvati and Lavender came up for bed. Bryt pretended to go to sleep herself and waited until she was sure everyone else was asleep before slipping out of her bed and pulling on her fiery-orange house coat and glancing at Hermione's bed. She gave a sigh of relief seeing Hermione seemed to be asleep as well.

Bryt crept down the spiral stairway and across the common room, sitting on the bottom curve of the opening to the corridors and watched the boy's dormitory stairway. At one point, she thought she saw something out of the corner of her eye, but when she looked around, she couldn't see anything.

Soon, Ron and Harry appeared at the bottom of the boy's stairway, both in their bathrobes. Bryt stood up as they came came over.

"I can't believe you're going to do this, Harry."

Bryt spun around as a lamp came on. Hermione was in a nearby armchair in her pink bathrobe and she was frowning. Bryt blinked, wondering when Hermione could have crept down without her knowing.

"_You_!" Ron snapped, "Go back to bed!"

"I almost told your brother," Hermione snapped back, "Percy—he's a prefect, he'd put a stop to this."

"Hermione, just go back to bed," Bryt said, sighing. She was tired of arguing with Hermione.

"Bryt, Ron, come on," Harry spoke up, heading through the hole into the corridor.

Bryt turned from Hermione and followed Ron out and Hermione was right behind, obviously still far from done.

"Don't you _care_ about Gryffindor? Do you _only_ care about yourselves? _I_ don't want Slytherin to win the house cup, and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells."

"Jus' go to bed, Hermione!" Bryt hissed, "We'll be careful!"

"All right, but I warned you, you just remember what I said when you're on the train home tomorrow, you're so—"

Hermione cut off and Bryt looked over her shoulder to see her friend staring at the empty canvass of the Fat Lady's portrait.

"Now what am I going to do?" Hermione asked in a shrill voice.

"That's your problem," Ron said, "We've got to go, we're going to be late."

"We'll be back soon, 'mione," Bryt said before heading off after Harry and Ron.

"I'm coming with you," Hermione said, running up to them at the end of the corridor.

"You are _not_."

"She's comin'," Bryt hissed, "We can't leave her alone out here."

"Shut up," Harry snapped, "I heard something."

Bryt turned to the snuffling sound nearby.

"Mrs. Norris?" Ron whispered.

Bryt blinked as she looked at the ground.

"Nope, Neville," she said.

Indeed, Neville was curled up, fast asleep on the floor. Bryt crept nearer and knelt down, shaking the boy lightly and he jerked awake.

"Thank goodness you found me!" Neville squeaked, "I've been out here for hours, I couldn't remember the new password to get in to bed."

"Shhh," Bryt hissed, "Password doesn' matter. Fat Lady's out right now."

Neville groaned and Bryt helped him to his feet.

"How's yer arm?" she asked.

"Fine," Neville said, holding it up, "Madam Pomfrey mended it in about a minute."

"Good," Harry said, "Well, look, Neville. We've got to be somewhere, we'll see you later—"

"Don't leave me!" Neville said, "I don't want to say here alone, the Bloody Baron's been past twice already."

"Okay, okay, you can come," Bryt grinned reassuringly, but Ron was glaring between Neville and Hermione.

"If either of you get us caught, I'll never rest until I've learned the Curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about, and use it on you."

Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but stopped when Harry hushed her before leading the group on through the hallway. Bryt followed along the group, looking around and jumping at every sound, expecting Filch or Mrs. Norris to be around any corner. She kept thinking about what Hermione had said as well. Malfoy probably wouldn't show, he was just trying to get Harry in trouble...

Not surprising, Malfoy and Crabbe were nowhere in sight when the group of Gryffindors reached the trophy room. Ron insisted that Malfoy was just late, so Bryt began looking over the different trophies as they waited several minutes.

"He should be here by now," Bryt whispered, looking at her watch.

"Maybe he's chickened out," Ron whispered back.

"Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner."

Bryt froze as she stared at the end of the hall. That was Filch's voice...and he had to be talking to Mrs. Norris. Ron suddenly grabbed Bryt's arm and pulled her off down the other way. Bryt turned to see the others were further ahead and she quickened her pace. They had just gotten hidden around the corner when they could hear Filch in the trophy room.

"They're in here somewhere," Filch said, "Probably hiding."

Harry motioned to the others before creeping off down the hallway. Once again, Ron had to give Bryt a yank for her to begin moving, but once she had started, she was quickening her pace more and more along the suits of armor. Neville gave a yelp behind Bryt and Ron and the two were suddenly knocked forward into a suit of armor, sending a loud crash echoing through the castle.

"RUN!" Harry yelled.

Bryt, Ron, and Neville scrambled to their feet and took off after Harry and Hermione. Harry was in the lead of the group as they ran through one corridor after another, not daring to stop, no matter how out of breath they were becoming. Harry tore through a tapestry, the others right behind, and straight through a secret passage to the Charms corridor, far away from the trophy room. Bryt leaned against the wall, panting heavily and feeling as if her heart was pounding in her throat, making it hard to swallow.

"I think we lost him," Harry panted, wiping sweat from his forehead as he leaned against a wall himself.

"I—_told_—you," Hermione gasped, clutching at her chest, "I—told—you."

"We've got to get back to Gryffindor tower," Ron said, "Quickly as possible."

"Malfoy tricked you," Hermione said, looking at Harry, "You realize that, don't you? He was never going to meet you—Filch knew someone was going to be in the trophy room, Malfoy must have tipped him off."

"This isn' the time to talk about it. Like Ron said, we needta get to the common room," Bryt hissed back.

"Let's go," Harry spoke up, starting off and the others followed.

They barely made it a few steps when Peeves suddenly came flying from a room. He gave a delighted squeal when he noticed the five first years.

"Shut up, Peeves—please—you'll get us thrown out," Harry said.

"Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties?" Peeves cackled, "Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty."

"If you don' tell anyone, we won'!" Bryt whispered, "Please, Peeves!"

"Should tell Filch, I should," Peeves gave a fake saintly voice, "It's for your own good, you know."

"Get out of the way," Ron snapped, swinging at Peeves.

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" Peeves screeched, "STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!"

All five of the first years took off at the same time, straight to the end of the corridor where they were met by a locked door.

"Great! Locked!" Bryt snapped, banging her shoulder constantly into the door, as if that would help.

Footsteps far behind echoed down the hall. Filch was coming.

"Oh, move over," Hermione hissed, yanking Harry's wand from his hand and pointing it at the lock, "_Alohomora_!"

The door swung open and everyone rushed inside, shutting the door behind them. Bryt looked around and froze, feeling as if she had been dunked in ice water as she stared in front of her. All sounds around her seemed to disappear as she found herself staring at a large black dog as high as the ceiling...and with three heads. Bryt opened her mouth to try and speak, but the only thing that came was a low squeak. The heads began growling and Bryt felt numb. She wanted to say something, or even to scream, but nothing would come out.

The others seemed to notice the giant dog, too, because the door suddenly opened behind them and Bryt felt someone grab her arm and pull her out. Regaining her ability to move, Bryt took off, the others right with her. As she ran, she realized what room they had been in...the forbidden corridor. And now she knew why it was forbidden.

All five of them didn't stop until they had reached the Fat Lady, who had returned to her portrait.

"Where on earth have you been?" she asked, seeing the group out of breath.

"Never mind that—pig snout, pig snout!" Harry gasped out.

The portrait swung open and they all piled in, collapsing into chairs. Bryt squeezed her eyes shut as she leaned forward in her chair, trying to catch her breath. No one spoke for several minutes and all Bryt could think about was the giant dog and how close it came to attacking the students.

"What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" Ron was the first to dare speaking, "If any dog needs exercise, that one does."

Bryt looked up at that and noticed Hermione looked irritated.

"You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?" she snapped, "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"

"I really don' care," Bryt said, "All I was worried about were the three heads thinkin' about eatin' us."

Hermione flushed. "It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something," she said, standing up and glaring at the group, "I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed—or worse, expelled. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."

Ron glared and Bryt watched, annoyed, as Hermione disappeared up the stairway to the girl's dormitories.

"No we don't mind," Ron said, and Bryt turned back to him, "You'd think we dragged her along, wouldn't you?"

"I'm goin' to bed, too," Bryt said, standing up, "Maybe I can calm Hermione down. G'night."

Bryt turned from her friends and Neville and headed up the stairway herself. When she got to her room, she noticed Hermione was already in bed. Sighing, Bryt decided she would talk to Hermione in the morning and crawled into her own bed, trying to sleep, though she was finding it difficult after what had happened that night.


	10. Wingardium Leviosa

Bryt never got a chance to get Hermione alone to talk to her. She seemed to be holding Bryt responsible for what had happened just as much as she was Harry and Ron and Bryt couldn't blame her. Hermione had tried to get Bryt to talk the boys out of it and Bryt kept insisting they had to go.

With Hermione now ignoring her, Bryt spent all of her time with Harry and Ron, and it showed in her schoolwork as Bryt began struggling to keep up in Transfiguration and History of Magic without Hermione's help. Luckily, Bryt had gotten to where she understood Quirrell's stuttering enough to get by in Defense Against the Dark Arts now.

Not being able to talk with Hermione anymore left had Bryt in a bad mood, though. In the few weeks that had been at Hogwarts, Hermione had become Bryt's closest friend. She could even tell Hermione things that she would have never talked about with Sofí, things she would have let only her diary know. Bryt didn't like not being able to spend time with Hermione, though every time she tried to get Hermione alone to talk to her always ended in Hermione walking off before Bryt could say anything.

Harry and Ron kept trying to cheer Bryt up, which in their minds meant theorizing on what the three-headed dog was guarding.

"It's a cerberus," Bryt said one afternoon when they had gotten into the conversation again while working on homework.

"What?" Harry and Ron asked together.

"The three-headed dog," Bryt replied, "I'm pretty sure it's called a cerberus."

Both Harry and Ron were staring at Bryt with a strange expression.

"What?" Bryt asked, "I read about 'em in _Magical Creatures of the World_."

"Right..." Ron said, giving Bryt the same look she often saw him giving Hermione, "It's a cerberus, so what's it guarding?"

"Consinderin' they have a c_erberus_ guardin' it..." Bryt said, "It's gotta be somethin' really important."

"Probably something dangerous," Harry said.

"Yeah," Bryt nodded.

Ron and Harry also tried to distract Bryt from Hermione by trying to find a way to get back at Malfoy for nearly getting them in trouble. Mail a week later brought their answer to that. Bryt only had a letter from her family this time, but her attention was caught by six screech owls flying in with a long, thin package. Surprisingly, they dropped the package in front of Harry. A second later, another owl dropped a letter on top of it. Harry had opened it to read and was suddenly grinning brightly, handing the letter over to Ron and Bryt to read:

_DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE.  
It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand, but I don't want everybody knowing you've got a broomstick or they'll all want one. Oliver Wood will meet you tonight on the Quidditch field at seven o'clock for your first training session._

_Professor M. McGonagall_

"A Nimbus Two Thousand!" Ron gave an envious moan, "I've never even _touched_ one."

Harry grabbed the parcel and headed out of the hall, Bryt and Ron hurrying behind. They barely got halfway across the entrance hall when they noticed Malfoy was blocking the stairs with Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy snatched the parcel from Harry and felt it over before throwing it back.

"That's a broomstick," he said, his voice somewhere between jealousy and spite, "You'll be in for it this time, Potter, first years aren't allowed them."

"It's not just any old broomstick," Ron said with a smug look, "It's a Nimbus Two Thousand. What did you say you've got back home, Malfoy, a Comet Two Sixty?" Ron turned to Harry and Bryt, "Comets look flashy, but they're not in the same league as the Nimbus."

"What would you know about it, Weasley, you couldn't afford half the handle," Malfoy snapped, "I suppose you and your brothers have to save up twig by twig."

"Lay off him," Bryt snapped as Professor Flitwick appeared at Malfoy's side.

"Not arguing, I hope?" he squeaked.

"Potter's been sent a broomstick, Professor," Malfoy said instantly.

"Yes, yes, that's right," Flitwick beamed brightly, "Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances, Potter. What model is it?"

"A Nimbus Two Thousand, sir. And it's really thanks to Malfoy here that I've got it."

Bryt had to bite her lip to hold back her laugh at Malfoy's expression of horror, though she did start smirking. She, Harry, and Ron headed on up the stairway and Bryt couldn't hold back anymore, she broke down in a fit of laughter.

"And it's true," Harry said when Bryt finally settled down, "If he hadn't stolen Neville's Remembrall I wouldn't be on the team."

"So I suppose you think that's a reward for breaking the rules?"

Bryt, Harry, and Ron turned towards Hermione, who had sounded angry. She was stomping up the stairs towards them, glaring at the parcel in Harry's hand.

"I thought you weren't speaking to us?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, don't stop now," Ron added, "It's doing us so much good."

Hermione spun on her heels and stomped away.

"Hermione!" Bryt groaned, about to follow, but she stopped herself. Hermione wouldn't listen to her anyway. She sighed and turned to follow Harry and Ron back up the stairs.

"You two need to lay off of Hermione," Bryt said for probably the thousandth time.

"She clearly doesn't want to talk to you anymore," Ron said, "Why are you still sticking up for her?"

"Because she's my friend," Bryt glared at Ron, "And even if she wasn', she doesn' deserve bein' treated the way you two treat her."

"Hermione gets mad at you and starts ignoring you," Harry said, "But you still say she's your friend and say we shouldn't complain about her?"

"Bryt, you're the most mental girl I have ever met," Ron rolled his eyes and Bryt hit him upside the head.

"Ow! Bryt!" Ron rubbed the back of his head, "Do you _have_ to hit so hard?"

"Jus' be lucky I like you," Bryt said, "I can hit harder. I actually gave this boy a bloody nose once at my old school."

"What'd he do?" Harry asked.

"Kissed me."

Harry and Ron stopped and Bryt turned, looking at them and noticed they were giving Bryt a weird look.

"You bloodied a guy's nose because he _kissed_ you?" Harry asked.

"What?" Bryt asked, "We were five. At that time, I thought all boys had cooties."

"I'll say it again, Bryt," Ron said, shaking his head, "You're the most mental girl I've ever met."

**xxxxx**

When dinner came, Bryt, Harry, and Ron ate quickly before heading up the stairs. Breaking rules, Bryt had gone up with Harry and Ron into their dorm because she had wanted to see the broom as well. Luckily, everyone was at dinner, so the room was empty. Harry ripped off the paper on the broom quickly.

"Wow..." Ron sighed, and Bryt stared at it in awe.

The Nimbus Two Thousand was made of mahogany, formed sleek and shiny in the dull light. 'Nimbus Two Thousand' was written in golden letters along the handle and the long tail was of neat, straight twigs. Bryt could see why it was considered the best racing broom. It looked much more impressive than the old school brooms they had used to practice flying the week before.

"Harry, yer so lucky," Bryt said, then getting an idea, "Maybe I can ask my parents for a broom durin' the summer...Not that I'll have anywhere to practice..."

"And you'd need all the practice you can get," Ron teased.

"The broom kept leanin'," Bryt couldn't help but laugh, "And you gotta remember, I crashed into _you_, so we both ended up on the ground."

"Yeah, but I was flying fine until you knocked me off my broom," Ron replied while Harry started to put the Nimbus Two Thousand back.

"I don't remember you two telling me any of this," Harry said as they headed back down into the common room before other students started coming.

Bryt laughed again, then told Harry about the flying lessons after he had left. She told him about how she collided into Ron, sending them both crashing into the ground, and how Malfoy had tried to taunt them about it, but Bryt had started joking about it.

"Somehow, it doesn't surprise me that you would _laugh_ after falling off a broom, Bryt," Harry shook his head.

"It was actually fun, though," Bryt laughed, "I had been worryin' about crashin' and all, but after I did, I realized it wasn' that bad. At least I didn' go head-first into a tree or somethin'."

Harry and Ron both shook their heads and Bryt grinned at them, then started pulling out her Potions book so she could start on her homework.

**xxxxx**

Halloween signified that Bryt had been at Hogwarts two months already. She excited about the Halloween feast that would be that night, but she found herself thinking about Halloween back in the States as she ate breakfast with Ron and Harry.

"What's ironic is I went as a witch once for Halloween," Bryt grinned, "Never knew why Sofí found it so hilarious. 'Til now, that is." Bryt laughed when she noticed Ron was giving her a look as if she were insane, a look she had gotten very use to over the past two months.

"It's a Muggle tradition," she explained, "Children dress up in costumes and go to houses in their neighborhood, carryin' bags. We go up to houses and say 'trick-or-treat!' and would get candy from the people owning the houses. Sofí, Julio, and I went trick-or-treatin' together every single year until they began going to a Salem Witches' Institute, then I went with my brothers."

"Muggles are strange," was Ron's only reply. Bryt laughed and turned back to her food.

Charms turned out to be a great plus to the day. Flitwick announced that they would be trying a levitation charm, which Bryt had been wanting to do since the first day. The class was put into pairs for practice. Bryt had been partnered with Neville while Harry and Seamus were paired and Ron, to his great displeasure, had been paired with Hermione. Hermione didn't look to pleased, either, by this choice. Bryt herself had been hoping to be paired with Hermione. At least then she would have probably gotten her friend to talk to her, though every attempt had failed before.

"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" Flitwick squeaked, "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too—never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

Bryt got irritated early on in the class, swishing and flicking over and over, though nothing would happen. At one point, Seamus set his feather on fire, and Ron was waving his arms around, shouting the spell.

"You're saying it wrong," Hermione snapped, "It's Wing-_gar_-dium Levi-_o_-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."

"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron growled.

Hermione straightened herself up and flicked her wand as she said, "_Wingardium Leviosa_!"

Hermione's feather rose four feet above the students' heads and hovered there.

"Oh, well done!" Flitwick cried, clapping, "Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it!"

That had Bryt more determined. Trying to mimic Hermione's movements, Bryt tried again and again, but had no luck. She suddenly began slamming her wand on the table, snapping out the spell. The feather never floated, but her wand did give a loud bang. Bryt gave a startled screech and jerked back, causing her chair to tumble backwards and she fell with it. Scrambling to her feet, Bryt gave a grin as the class erupted into laughter and soon was laughing herself. She looked over and noticed Hermione was staring at Bryt with a worried expression and Bryt grinned brightly at her to let her know she was okay. Hermione turned away quickly and Bryt frowned slightly as she picked her chair back up, wondering what it was going to take to get Hermione to talk to her again.


	11. Troll in the Bathroom

When Charms class ended, Bryt noticed Ron was obviously relieved and he seemed to want to immediately start complaining about Hermione as he, Bryt, and Harry left the classroom.

"How can you stand her, Bryt?" Ron asked, "She's a nightmare, honestly."

Bryt glared and was about to reply when Hermione suddenly pushed past the three, hurrying on down the corridor. Bryt watched her and decided she would sit with Hermione during the next class and bug her until she began talking again.

"I think she heard you," Harry was saying behind Bryt.

"So?" Ron asked, "She must have realized she doesn't have friends."

"She does too have a friend!" Bryt snapped, turning to look at Ron.

"But she ignores you!" Ron replied, "I would ditch her if I were you."

"Well, yer _not_ me," Bryt shot back, turning back around and staying several paces ahead of Harry and Ron.

Despite Bryt's hopes, Hermione didn't turn up during their next class, and Bryt didn't see her the rest of the afternoon, which really started to worry her. Hermione had never skipped classes before. When Bryt was heading to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast with Harry and Ron, they overheard Parvati telling Lavender about Hermione locking herself in a bathroom, crying. Hearing that, Bryt didn't say a word to Harry or Ron, she just turned and headed back through the hallway until she got to the bathroom, heading inside.

"Hermione?" she called, heading over to the only locked stall.

"Go away!" Hermione's weak voice came from the other side of the door. Bryt realized Parvati had been right, Hermione was crying.

"Not gonna," Bryt said, staying outside the door, "Yer obviously upset and I wanna help. If it means standin' here outside this door and makin' a complete fool of myself until you come out and talk, then that's what I'm gonna do." When there was no reply, Bryt continued. "C'mern, Hermione. At least open the door so I don't look like a doofis standin' here talkin' to a closed bathroom stall. Besides, yer gonna have to come out eventually, and I'll stand outside this door all night if I haveta. You know I will!"

Nearly a minute passed before the stall door finally opened and Hermione looked at Bryt, her eyes red from tears.

"Ha! Got you opened the door!" Bryt grinned as goofily as she could make herself do. It seemed to have an effect because the edge Hermione's lips twitched upward and there was a hint of a smile.

"C'mern, let's get cleaned up and go eat," Bryt grinned, putting an arm around Hermione's shoulders.

Hermione gave a small nod and the two girls went over to the sink where Bryt waited as Hermione began to wash her face.

A horrible smell filled the bathroom, followed by a strange noise. Bryt and Hermione exchanged a strange look, then heard the door slam and the click of a lock turning. Bryt and Hermione both spun around, finding themselves staring twelve feet up at the dull gray head on the lumpy body of a full-grown troll.

It took the girls several moments to overcome their fear enough to open their mouths. When they did, they both screamed.

Bryt and Hermione grabbed each other's hand at the same time and sunk back against the wall. Bryt could feel Hermione's nails digging into her skin, but it didn't matter because she was returning the favor.

Bryt opened her mouth to say something, but only small squeaks would come, the only thing running through her mind was what she had read about the trolls in her textbook. _Notable for its equally prodigious strength and stupidity, the troll is often violent and unpredictable_. Violent and unpredictable. A dangerous combination.

The troll was coming closer to the girls and they tightened their grip on each other. A noise came from the other side of the room and the troll stopped, looking around. Bryt forced herself to look over and noticed that Harry and Ron had come in. Bryt's was too scared to care as to why they had decided to barge into a girl's bathroom.

"Oy, pea-brain!" Ron's voice came from behind the troll and the troll had turned towards him.

"Come on," Harry was suddenly beside the girls, "Run, _run_!"

Bryt couldn't move, still clinging to Hermione's hand. All she could do was stare at the troll, small noises escaping her open mouth. The troll was advancing towards Ron, that is, until Harry had run forward, jumping on the troll's shoulders and shoving his wand up the troll's nose.

There was a howl of pain and the troll swung out his club. Hermione sunk to the floor, still clinging to Bryt's hand as the blonde remained frozen against the wall. She suddenly heard Ron shouting "_Wingardium Leviosa_!" and the troll's club jerked from the troll's hand, then dropped on its owner's head. There was a sicking crunch that made Bryt's stomach churn and the troll fell forward with such force that the entire room shook.

Bryt slumped to the floor next to Hermione in relief and after a moment, Hermione spoke up.

"Is it—dead?"

"I don't think so," Harry replied, "I think it's just been knocked out."

Harry walked over and retrieved his wand from the troll's nose.

"Urgh—troll boogers."

Bryt watched Harry wipe his wand on the troll's trousers as loud footsteps came from the hallway. McGonagall appeared in the room, followed by Snape and Quirrell.

Snape was looking over the troll as McGonagall stared at Ron and Harry. She looked extremely furious at the moment.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" McGonagall asked coldly as the boys exchanged a look, "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

"Please, Professor McGonagall—they were looking for us."

Hermione had gotten to her feet and Bryt soon followed. They were still clinging to each other's hands.

"Miss Granger! Miss Watkins!"

"It's...It's my fault, though," Hermione continued, "I...I went looking for the troll because I—I thought I could deal with it on my own—you know, because I read all about them."

Ron had dropped his wand and Bryt couldn't blame him. She looked to her friend, wanting to speak up, but she couldn't find her voice, no matter how many times she opened her mouth.

"Bryt was trying to talk me out of it," Hermione continued, "She was about to go tell a teacher when the troll came in...If Ron and Harry hadn't come, we would be dead now...Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish Bryt and me off when they arrived."

"Well—in that case..." McGonagall looked between the four students, "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you thing of tackling a mountain troll on your own? You should have listened to Miss Watkins, though she should have come to a teacher straight away."

Bryt ducked her head as did Hermione. Bryt was still watching her friend closely out of the corner of her eye.

"Girls, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," McGonagall said, "I'm very disappointed in you. If you and Miss Watkins are unharmed, you two had better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses."

Bryt and Hermione looked up at each other and finally let go of each other's hands as they headed out. Bryt began flexing her hand to regain blood flow as they walked.

"Why did you lie?" Bryt finally found her voice, "We probably wouldn' have lost points if we said the truth, that we didn' know about the troll."

"I don't know," Hermione said, "It just started coming out before I could stop myself."

Their short conversation fell silent as the girls continued on. Bryt found herself grinning a little, despite what had happened. Hermione was talking to her again, which was no doubt the best thing that had happened to Bryt that day.

"Pig snout," Bryt said as they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady and the two headed inside their common room, but hovered at the door until a few minutes later when Harry and Ron came in. They stood uncomfortably for a moment before all four gave a 'thank you' in unison before going to get some food.

"That's one thing I never wantta go through again," Bryt said as they sat down together in one corner of the crowded common room, "There's no tellin' what would have happened to 'mione and me if you two hadn' shown up."

"I'm just glad we got there in time," Harry said, "And that we managed to beat the troll."

"That was really clever of you, Ron," Hermione said, grinning, "Using the troll's club against him like that."

"Yeah, I would've never been able to think of that," Bryt grinned.

"Obviously," Ron smirked at the blonde, "All you did was stand against a wall and stare at the troll."

"I have a little problem with fear, okay?" Bryt replied, looking down at her plate.

"A little problem?" Ron laughed, "You weren't exactly living up to 'brave Gryffindor' in there, Bryt."

"I think I'm goin' to bed early," Bryt said quickly, putting down her plate and standing up, "G'night."

Bryt turned before her friends could reply and went up the stairs to the girls' dormitory. Luckily, it was still early enough that Lavender and Parvati were still down in the common room so Bryt had the dormitory to herself. Bryt changed into her pajamas and sat on her bed, thinking about what Ron had said. Ron had just been teasing her, Bryt knew that. She also knew he had been right. Bryt hadn't exactly acted very brave in the bathroom...It had been the exact same thing when she had saw the cerberus...She had frozen up and wouldn't move. Her friends had to drag her out of the room then to get her to leave before she had been killed...

Sighing, Bryt laid back across her bed as she heard the door open. She glanced over and noticed Hermione had come in, stopping just inside the door to look at Bryt.

"Are you okay?" she asked, "You just left so suddenly..."

"Ron just made me realize I'm a lousy Gryffindor, that's all," Bryt said.

"You're not a lousy Gryffindor!" Hermione said, sitting on the edge of Bryt's bed.

"Gryffindors're supposed to be brave," Bryt sighed, looking at Hermione, though she didn't sit up, "I ain't brave."

"Of course you are," Hermione replied, "You stand up for yourself, and for other people, not caring what people will think of you because of it. You even crashed your broom during our flying lessons, then got up and _laughed_ about it!"

"That's jus' how I am," Bryt said, "I don' care what people think. That ain't being brave."

"You've stepped in to help people, too," Hermione continued as if Bryt hadn't said anything, "I've had to hold you back to keep you from hitting Malfoy for making fun of Neville, remember? And you get just as riled when Malfoy tries to make fun of Ron or Harry. And they both told me how you always stood up for me. You're so passionate about standing up for others."

"That's not bein' brave, though," Bryt grumbled, "I jus' don' like people talkin' about others like that, not when they don' deserve it. I'm talkin' about where it really matters. When we ran into the cerberus, all I did was stand and stare. The same thing with the troll. I did _nothin'_ while Harry and Ron saved us."

"If you remember, I didn't do anything to fight the troll, either," Hermione said, "Just because we have a moment of fear doesn't mean we don't belong in Gryffindor—"

"The Sortin' Hat thought about puttin' me in Hufflepuff at first," Bryt cut in, "Maybe that's where it should have put me."

"It also thought about putting _me_ in Ravenclaw," Hermione replied, "Yet it put us both in Gryffindor. Remember the Sorting Hat's song? It said it'd put us where we belong, and it thought we belonged in Gryffindor."

"What if it was wrong?" Bryt asked.

"I don't think it was," Hermione answered.

"And what makes you so sure?"

"Because bravery isn't just about what you do in a fight," Hermione said, "It's about being strong enough to stand up for what's right. You do that, Bryt, and if you don't want to believe me, then don't. I just hope you can figure it out on your own soon."

Hermione stood up and went over to get ready for bed herself. Bryt stared up at the canopy over her own bed and thought over what Hermione had said. She never really thought about how she always jumped to defend others, it had always been an instinctual act. To hear Hermione say it was brave...

"Hermione?" Bryt spoke up, looking over to see Hermione had changed into her pajamas and was just pulling the covers back on her bed.

"Yes?" Hermione looked up at her.

"Thanks."

Hermione gave Bryt a grin before crawling into her own bed.


	12. Quidditch Match

Bryt found herself bundling up more and more as November came around. Winter seemed to come much earlier in Britain than it did back in South Carolina, and it seemed to be much colder as well. Luckily, her winter cloak was very warm and her mother had sent her a package with a fiery orange woolly hat with matching gloves which helped warm Bryt more.

The day before the first Quidditch match was chilly as usual and the four friends were huddled together in the courtyard during a break, trying to warm themselves with the jarred blue fire that Hermione had summoned for them. Bryt noticed Snape limping into the yard and the four huddled tighter to try and block the fire, but Snape seemed to think they were up to something and limped his way over.

"What's that you got, Potter?"

Harry, who had been holding a copy of _Quidditch Throughout the Ages_, held the book up for Snape to see.

"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," Snape said, "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."

Bryt glared as their Potions teacher limped off with Hermione's book.

"That ain't a rule," she snapped, "Hope whatever happened to his leg is hurtin' him."

"No kidding," Ron replied bitterly.

As afternoon came, the four were back in their common room, working on their homework. Hermione would check over the other's work to make sure they had the correct answers, and tended to lecture Bryt for giving Harry and Ron answers when they asked as they worked on Potions. At one point, Harry stood up.

"I'm going to ask Snape for _Quidditch Through the Ages_ back," he said.

"Better you than me," Bryt said at the same time as Ron and Hermione.

Harry left and the other three returned to their work. Hermione was preoccupied with checking their Charms work so Bryt was leaned over with Ron, ignoring their homework, whispering excitedly about the Quidditch match the next day. Most of the conversation was Bryt asking anything she could think of about the game that hadn't been answered in _Quidditch Through the Ages_. They only looked up when Harry had returned, sitting back down. Bryt blinked as she noticed Harry looked like he might be sick.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Snape," Harry had dropped his voice to a low whisper, "His injured leg—I saw it. He was talking to Filch, he mentioned trying to keep an eye on all three heads at once. You know what this means? He tried to get past that cerberus at Halloween! That's where he was going when we saw him, Ron—he's after whatever it's guarding! And I'd bet my broomstick _he_ let the troll in, to make a diversion!"

"No—he wouldn't," Hermione said with wide eyes, "I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try to steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe."

"All teachers ain't perfect little do-gooders, 'mione," Bryt said, "I agree with Harry."

"Me too," Ron spoke up, "I wouldn't put it anything past Snape. But what's he after? What's the cerberus guarding?"

None of them seemed to have an answer and after thinking it over with no leads, they finally packed away their things and headed up to their beds. Bryt fell asleep almost instantly, snuggled deep and warm in her bed.

**xxxxx**

"You needa eat," Bryt told Harry for possibly the fifth time during breakfast the next morning.

"I'm not hungry," Harry mumbled.

"You've got to eat some breakfast," Ron insisted.

"I don't want anything."

"Just a bit of toast," Hermione pressed.

"I'm not hungry."

"Harry, you need your strength," Seamus was getting into the conversation now, "Seekers are always the ones who get clobbered by the other team."

"Thanks, Seamus," Harry mumbled sarcastically.

They decided to give up trying to get Harry to eat and as eleven o'clock drew closer, Bryt and her friends bundled up before heading out to the stands, and were joined by Neville, Dean, and Seamus. As they got to their row, they put up the banner they had made for Harry with a ruined sheet. Dean had drawn a large lion underneath the words 'Potter for Prime Minister' and Hermione had used a charm to make the letters change colors.

Before long, the two Quidditch teams (Gryffindor in red, Slytherin in green) were out on the field with Madam Hooch. Everyone mounted their brooms and Hooch blew her whistle—the game had started.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor," Lee Jordan, Fred and George's friend, was doing commentary for the match, "What an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too—"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor."

Bryt and Ron laughed while Hermione rolled her eyes. The match had only just started, but Bryt was already in love with Quidditch. She seemed to become most fascinated with the position of Beater and found herself watching for the Bludgers more than she did the Quaffle.

"And she's really belting along up there," Jordan's voice brought Bryt's attention back to the Quaffle, "A neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve—back to Johnson and—no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle."

The Gryffindor side of the field filled with boos and hisses. Bryt was standing in front her chair for a better view, after all, she was shorter than most her age. The Slytherins became in possession of the Quaffle and tried to score, though Wood blocked, causing a roar of cheers with the Gryffindors. Bryt winced as the Bludger hit one of the Chasers, Katie Bell, in the back of the head and was amazed the girl just shook it off and kept playing. Soon after, another of Gryffindor's Keepers had the Quaffle and was making her way to the goals. Bryt jumped up and down and began shouting "GO! GO! GO!" over and over again, cheering the Keeper on.

"—And Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes—" Jordan was calling, "She's really flying—dodges a speeding Bludger—the goal posts are ahead—come on, now, Angelina—Keeper Bletchley dives—misses—GRYFFINDOR SCORE!"

Bryt began screaming in excitement as the Gryffindors cheered and the Slytherins hissed and booed.

"Budge up there, move along."

"Hey, Hagrid!" Bryt grinned, moving over some with Ron and Hermione so Hagrid had enough room to join them.

"Bin watchin' from me hut," Hagrid grinned, holding a pair of binoculars, "But it isn't the same as bein' in the crowd. No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?"

"Nope," Bryt and Ron said together, then Ron continued, "Harry hasn't had much to do yet."

"Kept outta trouble, though, that's somethin'," Hagrid lifted his binoculars, looking up. Bryt looked up herself, squinting towards where she could barely make out someone high above the game, doing loop-the-loops after Angelina had scored. She guessed it was Harry.

"Slytherin in position," Jordan's voice brought Bryt's attention back to the game, "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds towards the—wait a moment—was that the Snitch?"

Bryt watched as Pucey dropped the Quaffle. Bryt squinted, but couldn't seen anything. Harry must have seen it, though, because he was diving down on his broom. Soon, the Slytherin Seeker, Terance Higgs, was right beside him, racing for the Snitch.

"GO, HARRY, GO!" Bryt started screaming again, hopping up and down, as she cupped her hands around her mouth, "GO, GO, GO!"

Harry started to pull ahead...Bryt was screaming even louder, positive Harry would catch the Snitch. That is, until Flint seemed to come from nowhere and block Harry, nearly knocking him off his broom.

"FOUL!" Bryt screamed along with all the Gryffindors.

Madam Hooch seemed to agree. She shouted angrily to Flint, then gave the Gryffindors a free shot at the goals. Luckily, the Snitch seemed to have disappeared again, keeping Higgs from being able to catch it.

"Send him off, ref!" Dean shouted from in front of Bryt, "Red card!"

"What are you talking about, Dean?" Ron asked.

"Red card! In football, you get shown the red card and you're out of the game!"

"This isn't football."

Bryt looked between the two, then guessed they were actually talking about soccer. She had forgotten about some of name differences between countries.

"They oughta change the rules," Hagrid took Dean's side, "Flint coulda knocked Harry outta the air."

"So—" Jordan, once again, pulled Bryt back to the game, "After that obvious and disgusting but of cheating—"

"Jordan!" McGonagall interrupted.

"I mean, after that open and revolting foul—"

"_Jordan, I'm warning you_—"

"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinnet, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue to play, Gryffindor still in possession."

Bryt watched everything closely, jumping and screaming, cheering on her team with her friends. She could easily see why most of the Wizarding world loved Quidditch.

"Slytherin in position—Flint with the Quaffle—passes Spinnet—passes Bell—hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose—only joking, Professor—Slytherins score—oh no..."

The Gryffindors shouted and booed as the Slytherins cheered.

"Dunno what Harry thinks he's doing," Hagrid said and Bryt looked up, shading her eyes as Hagrid continued, "If I didn' know better, I'd say he'd lost control of his broom...but he can't have..."

It wasn't long before practically everyone in the crowd was looking up at Harry, who looked as if he were on an angry bull that was trying to throw him off.

"Somethin' must have happened when Flinch knocked him," Bryt said, her face pale as she watched Harry. She couldn't stop thinking about what would happen if he actually fell off his broom, and she didn't like the result of that thought.

"Can't have," Hagrid replied, "Can't nothing interfere with a broomstick except powerful Dark magic—no kid could do that to a Nimbus Two Thousand."

"What are you doing?" Ron's voice made Bryt turn to see Hermione had taken Hagrid's binoculars and was scanning the crowds.

"I knew it!" Hermione breathed, "Snape—look!"

Ron took the binoculars and looked through, gasping slightly. Bryt took them from him and looked herself, seeing Snape in the middle of the stands across from them, his eyes fixed on Harry and his mouth moving nonstop.

"He's doing something—jinxing the broom," Hermione said as Bryt put down the binoculars.

"We gotta do somethin'!" Bryt said.

"Leave it to me."

Bryt and Ron both opened their mouths to say something, but Hermione had already disappeared into the crowd. Bryt and Ron huddled together, pressing their faces against each other to share the binoculars, pointing them up towards Harry. He looked as if he'd fall off at any second. Fred and George kept trying to fly close enough to get Harry, but always had to fall back because the broom would shoot even higher every time they neared.

"Come on, Hermione," Ron and Bryt whispered at the same time.

Bryt moved the binoculars, forcing Ron to follow suit, and focused now on Snape. They spotted Hermione rushing through the row below Snape and she wasn't stopping, not even when she knocked Quirrell out of his seat. She crouched near Snape and set a few blue flames to his robes. Once Snape had realized he was on fire, Hermione scooped the fire into a jar and disappeared back through the crowd.

Ron decided it was time to look back at Harry for he pulled the binoculars up and Bryt jerked her head to keep up. Hermione had succeeded and Harry had finally gotten control of his broom. Strangely, though, he was in a nose-dive straight towards the ground. As he got within a few feet of the ground, he suddenly clapped his hand to his mouth.

"Is he sick?" Bryt asked.

Harry hit the ground on all fours and seemed to cough up something into his hands.

"I'VE GOT THE SNITCH!" he shouted and Bryt screamed in excitement, jumping up and down again, hugging Ron in relief. Ron shoved her away and Bryt laughed, joining the cheering of the confusing end to the game.

"Gryffindor won!" Jordan called, "One hundred and seventy points to sixty! Gryffindor won!"

Bryt, Ron, Hermione, ran down to congratulate Harry. Bryt nearly knocked Harry onto his back as she threw her arms around him in a hug, laughing and telling him how great he was in the game. Once Bryt had settled down, Harry had went to change before they headed off to Hagrid's for tea.

"It was Snape, Harry," Bryt had jumped right into explaining about the broom as soon as the four had sat down in Hagrid's hut, "We saw him."

"Yeah," Ron said, "He was cursing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off you."

"Rubbish," Hagrid spoke up. Apparently he hadn't noticed the commotion that had gone on next to him in the stands, "Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"

"Dunno," Bryt said, "Why was he tryin' to get past that cerberus on Halloween?"

"Yeah, the dog bit him," Harry said, "He's trying to steak whatever it's guarding."

"How do you know about Fluffy?" Hagrid asked instantly, dropping his teapot.

"_Fluffy_?"

"Yeah—he's mine—bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year—I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the—"

"Yes?" the four pressed.

"Now, don't ask me anymore," Hagrid said, "That's top secret, that is."

"But Snape's tryin' to _steal_ it!"

"Rubbish," Hagrid said, "Snape's a Hogwarts teacher, he'd do nothin' of the sort."

"So why did he just try to kill Harry?" Hermione questioned. Obviously her opinion of Snape had changed after the Quidditch match, "I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid, I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw him!"

"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong! I don' know why Harry's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student! Now, listen to me, all four of yeh—yer meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel—"

"Who's that?" Bryt asked eagerly.

Hagrid, who looked angry with himself, shut his mouth and refused to say another word, no matter how much the quartet kept trying to get an answer out of him.


	13. Christmas

As the end of November came closer, Bryt couldn't help but feel odd having classes during the final week, which was something she had to explain to her friends.

"It's 'cause of Thanksgivin'," Bryt said during breakfast when she had brought it up, "It's an American holiday, usually my school was out fer that week. It's jus' so weird it not bein' a holiday here and we still have to do classes."

With December came colder and colder weather until in mid-December when everyone awoke to find several feet of snow had fallen overnight. Bryt had changed into her warm clothes quickly and spent most of her time before breakfast staring out at the deep snow in awe. Snow was rare in South Carolina, and when it did fall, it was never nearly as much as in Britain. When mail had come that day, few owls had managed to make it through the storm, Joey was one of them, to Bryt's relief. These owls were cared for by Hagrid before they were allowed to fly again.

The holidays were coming closer and closer and everyone was excited. Harry had, obviously, signed up to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas and Ron had decided to stay as well. All the Weasley children were since Ron's parents were going to visit the second-oldest, Charlie. Bryt was excited about heading home, though. She missed her parents and her little brothers, and she was hoping to get at least one long-distance phone call in to her friends back in Charleston.

With only a day left until the holidays, Bryt, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were making their way from the dungeon after their Potions class where Malfoy had been taunting almost non-stop about Harry's lack of a family. Hermione had to literally drag Bryt from the classroom to keep her from punching the Slytherin in the face.

As they moved along the corridor, they found their path blocked by a large fir tree that Hagrid was pulling.

"Hi, Hagrid," Bryt grinned.

"Want any help?" Ron asked, moving forward.

"Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Ron."

"Would you mind moving out of the way?" Malfoy said coldly, coming up, "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose—that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to."

Bryt started to move forward, but Ron was faster and had grabbed the front of Malfoy's robes. Unfortunately, it was right as Snape was coming by.

"WEASLEY!"

Ron let go of Malfoy instantly, turning around.

"He was provoked, Professor Snape," Hagrid said, "Malfoy was insultin' his family."

"Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," Snape replied, "Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and be grateful it isn't more. Move along, all of you."

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle left with a smirk, shoving their way through the tree.

"I'll get him," Ron growled, glaring after Malfoy, "One of these days, I'll get him—"

"And I'll be sure to help," Bryt commented, glaring after the Slytherin herself, her hands clenched into fists.

"Well, I hate them both," Harry spoke up, "Malfoy and Snape."

"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," Hagrid grinned, "Tell yeh what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat."

Bryt grinned, pushing Malfoy out of her mind as the four followed Hagrid to the Great Hall where McGonagall and Flitwick were working with the decorations.

"Ah, Hagrid, the last tree—put it in that far corner, would you?" McGonagall called over.

Bryt was staring around the hall in awe. Holly and mistletoe were on all the walls and there were at least twelve giant Christmas trees around the room. Some had icicles, others had candles, though all had ornaments of all sizes. Bryt couldn't imagine how long it had to take to set up something like this, even with magic.

"How many days you got left until yer holidays?" Hagrid asked.

"Just one," Hermione said, "And that reminds me—Harry, Ron, Bryt, we've got half an hour before lunch, we should be in the library."

"Yeah, yer right," Bryt turned away from the decorations and back to her friends.

"The library?" Hagrid followed the four from the hall, "Just before the holidays? Bit keen, aren't yeh?"

"Ain't schoolwork," Bryt grinned, "Lookin' for Nicolas Flamel."

"Yeah, ever since you mentioned him, we've been trying to find out who he is."

"You _what_? Listen here—I've told yeh—drop it. It's nothin' to you what that dog's guardin'."

"We just want to know who Nicolas Flamel is, that's all," Hermione said.

"Unless you'd like to tell us and save us the trouble?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, we've been through hundreds of books," Bryt sighed, "I even wrote to my friends in America, but they don' know who the guy is, either. Not even Julio."

"So how about a hint?" Harry asked, "I know I've read the name somewhere."

"I'm sayin' nothin'," Hagrid said determinedly.

"Just have to find out for ourselves, then," Ron said, the four leaving Hagrid behind as they headed for the library.

Unfortunately, their search turned up nothing, which was no surprise to Bryt. The next morning, Bryt and Hermione bundled themselves up in their winter cloaks, hats, scarfs, and gloves to get ready to head home for the holidays. They went down to eat breakfast with Harry and Ron and to give their goodbyes before leaving.

"We'll see you when we get back," Hermione said as she and Bryt stood up after eating, "And don't forget to keep looking for Nicholas Flamel."

"Like we can forget when you've been reminding us every three seconds," Ron replied.

"Cheer up, Ron," Bryt grinned, "It's the holidays!"

Bryt leaned in between her friends and gave both boys a kiss on the cheek. Both of them blinked and stared at Bryt in shock.

"Merry Christmas!" Bryt said happily, turning and heading off with Hermione.

"I think you left them in shock," Hermione said, looking back over her shoulders where Harry and Ron were still staring at each other.

"I guess I should have explained my little tradition first," Bryt laughed as she pulled her cloak tighter around her and headed with the students out of the castle, "As long as I can remember, I've always given Dad, Mike and Drew, and Julio a kiss on the cheek on Christmas. I won' see Harry and Ron on Christmas, so I gave them their kiss today."

Hermione started giggling.

"You really should have told them that beforehand," she said.

"Too late," Bryt laughed, giving a shrug.

**xxxxx**

As much as Bryt loved Hogwarts, she was glad to be back home. She had missed her parents and her little brothers, who had nearly knocked Bryt on her back when they tackled her as she walked in the front door.

Bryt spent most of her time during the days getting into snowball fights with her brothers and chasing them around the yard. When it was too cold to be outside, though, the three sat in the living room and Bryt answered even more of Drew and Mike's questions about Hogwarts. If Bryt's father was home on those afternoons, he'd be just as curious as his sons. Bryt avoided telling her father about the troll and the cerberus, though, and had sworn her brothers to secrecy about it, not thinking her parents should know about her rule-breaking and nearly being killed twice.

Bryt woke up on Christmas morning to her brothers on either side of her bed, shaking the mattress.

"C'mern, Bryt!" Mike said, "Mom's got the pancakes done! Get up!"

Bryt smirked, pulling her blanket tighter around her and burying her face in her pillow. It was a Watkins family tradition that breakfast on Christmas morning was to be eaten together and presents weren't to be open until after breakfast. Bryt knew her brothers wanted her up because they wanted to get to their presents faster.

"Bryt, get _up_!"

Bryt's blanket got yanked back and Bryt couldn't hold back her giggling.

"Yer awake!" both boys chorused, "Get up!"

Bryt giggled more and sat up, stretching and pretending to give a big yawn.

"Good mornin' boys," she said, "I guess you two want me up so you can get presents?"

"Mom told us to wake you up!" Drew huffed.

"She has the pancakes done!" Mike added.

Bryt laughed.

"Fine, yes, I'm up," she said, "Go tell Mom and Dad I'm comin'."

The twins took off from Bryt's room and Bryt swung her legs over the side of her bed. She pulled on her house coat and headed down the hall to the kitchen where the rest of her family were already.

"Merry Christmas, Bryt," Mr. Watkins grinned brightly at his daughter.

"Merry Christmas," Bryt grinned back, giving her father and both her brothers a kiss on the cheek before sitting down.

"Here we go," Mrs. Watkins placed a plate of pancakes on the table before sitting down herself, "Eat up."

After breakfast, Bryt sat in one of the armchairs in her living room while her brothers sat on the floor and their parents sat on the couch. Bryt let her brothers open their presents first before getting to her pile.

Bryt got a fiery-orange sweater from her parents and a plush, cartoon-looking dragon from her brothers. There was a pack of pumpkin pastries from Hermione and a small jewelry box from her grandparents on her mother's side.

Bryt groaned when she had unwrapped that present.

"_Bryttanie_," Mrs. Watkins scolded.

"You'd think after eleven years they'd learn I don' like jewelry," Bryt huffed, putting the box aside, "What'm I gonna do with a jewelry box?"

"Put yer jewelry in it," Mike pipped up, "Duh."

Bryt rolled her eyes, though she started grinning. Her grandparents also liked sending her jewelry, even though she didn't like wearing it, saying "every young lady needs a little jewelry". At least, the grandparents from her mother's side did this. The ones on her father's side preferred to give her stuffed toys. Unfortunately, they had died from injuries in a car crash a little over a year before. Bryt still remembered being stupidly stubborn and insisting on going to the hospital with her parents, where they had found out her grandfather hadn't survived surgery and her grandmother was brain dead. Bryt had been with her parents when they had shut off life support, and because of it, Bryt seriously hated hospitals.

Trying to push away the memory, Bryt turned to the largest box among her presents, which was a collection of presents from the Garcías.

Sofí and Julio had sent Bryt a Polaroid camera with a note saying it was charmed so the developed pictures would move like wizarding ones, and that Sofí expected pictures of her new friends. Bryt, surprisingly, had gotten a set of books by a man named Gilderoy Lockhart from Mr. and Mrs. García. There was no note with them, but Bryt guessed just from the titles that Lockhart was a wizard. She put the books down, deciding she'd start reading one of them that night.

After her parents opened their presents, Bryt took her presents into her room. She put her new camera next to her computer and lined her Lockhart books on her bookshelf. She shoved her jewelry box under her bed and then changed into a pair of jeans and her new sweater.

Bryt grinned and stretched, wondering if she should call Sofí and Julio to tell them Merry Christmas. She looked over at her alarm clock and saw it was only eleven o'clock, which meant it'd be six in the morning back in Charleston. Bryt seriously doubted her friends would be up that early.

Bryt, instead, dropped onto her bed and stretched out, staring at her ceiling. She began thinking about how Christmas had been before she had moved to England. One word to sum it would have been chaos. Nothing like the quiet day they were having here.

Usually, the morning of Christmas consisted of eating breakfast, and then waiting for the Garcías to come over. Until the year before, they would have also waited for Bryt's grandparents on her father's side, since they had lived in Charleston as well.

Once everyone was there, they were gathered in the Watkins' small living room to open presents, which in itself was the source of chaos mainly for the fact they were squeezing eleven people into a room that was barely big enough to hold their couch, TV, and Christmas tree. Then there was the fact it was nearly impossible to get Sofí to stay in one spot, she was constantly changing where she wanted to sit. At least she had settled down considerably as she had gotten older, deciding always to sit beside Bryt.

Once presents had been opened, Sofí and Julio would stay with Bryt in her room while the adults talked and Mike and Drew played in their shared room. Every single year, no matter what Bryt, Sofí, and Julio decided to do ended in Bryt's room becoming extremely messy and the three making so much noise that their parents would nearly go hoarse yelling at them.

Bryt's grandparents would leave before lunch, but the Garcías would stay because the afternoon was always when they brought out the cake for Julio's birthday, which was on Christmas Day.

Bryt grinned, remembering the last Christmas when Sofí and Bryt had sneaked up behind Julio and shoved his face into the cake right as he was blowing out the candles. Sofí and Bryt both laughed about it until their parents began yelling at them and Julio glared at them as he tried to get the cake off his face.

Bryt sighed and rolled over onto her stomach, staring out her window. Christmas this year was definitely boring compared to what she was used to. Maybe next year she'd stay at Hogwarts with Harry, and Ron and Hermione if they decided to stay as well.

At least after lunch, she and her brothers were able to go outside where they got into a snowball fight, which Bryt lost since her brothers had decided to team up on her.

Bryt and her brothers were in the middle of making a snowman when their father leaned out the front door.

"Bryt, you have a phone call! Hurry up, long distance!"

_'Sofí and Julio!'_ Bryt thought excitedly, running for the house. She yanked off her gloves and coat as she got inside and dropped them on a dining room chair before running back to the living room and grabbing the phone.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Merry Christmas!" Sofí and Julio chorused on the other end and Bryt laughed, easily recognizing her friends' voices, even after nearly half a year apart. Like Bryt, Sofí and Julio had the thick accent of a Southern American, though the siblings had a very faint trace of a Spanish accent, influenced from their father.

"Merry Christmas," Bryt replied, "And Happy Birthday, Julio."

"Thanks," Julio replied, "Did you like yer gifts?"

"Loved them!" Bryt said, "But why'd yer parents send me a book set?"

"I told 'em to!" Surprisingly, it was Sofí who said this. And even more surprising, Julio had groaned. Usually, Sofí had never been the type to sit and read anything she never had to, and Julio was always trying to find something new to read.

"Don' start!" Sofí was obviously talking to her brother before turning back to the phone, "Gilderoy Lockhart is absolutely amazin'! I read all his books in a couple of weeks, you won' believe some of the stuff he's done!"

"I don' believe _any_ of the stuff he's done," Julio said, "I bet the guy's some publicity-seeking fraud."

"Yer jus' jealous you ain't half as talented as he is!"

"Hey! Save the argument!" Bryt laughed, "Yer callin' long-distance, remember? No tellin' how much longer yer mom'll let you talk."

"Right," Julio said, "So before we get yelled at, Sofí and I got news!"

"We figured out who Nicholas Flamel is fer yah!" Sofí said excitedly.

"Really?" Bryt straightened up at the news, "How?"

"I asked Dad," Julio said, "I said it was fer a school paper."

"Anyway, he's an alchemist," Sofí said, "Created some pretty cool stone that can turn anythin' to gold and make this stuff that'll make you immortal."

"It's called the Elixir of Life, Sofí," Julio said with a sigh, "And the stone's called a Sorcerer's Stone."

"Sofí! Julio!" Bryt could hear Mrs. García's voice faintly in the background, "That's long enough! Off the phone!"

"Time to go!" Sofí laughed.

"See yah this summer," Bryt said.

"Stay out of trouble, Bryt," Julio said, then the line went dead.

Bryt hung up on her end and grinned, wondering if she should call Hermione and tell her about the Sorcerer's Stone or wait and tell her when she told Harry and Ron back at Hogwarts. Finally deciding to do the latter, so she would only have to say it once, Bryt headed back to her room and decided to start reading one of Gilderoy Lockhart's books to figure out whether she agreed with Sofí or Julio on the man's stories.


	14. Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff

When Bryt and Hermione arrived back at Hogwarts on the last day of the holidays, they both greeted Harry and Ron with hugs before sitting alone in a corner of the Gryffindor common room. Bryt was going to tell them about finding Nicholas Flamel when Harry spoke up first.

He told Bryt and Hermione that he had gotten an Invisibility Cloak for Christmas and it had belonged to his father. He had decided to use it to try and find Nicholas Flamel in the Restricted Section of the library.

"Harry, you could have been caught!" Hermione exclaimed, "Didn't you learn _anything_ after Malfoy tricked you into that duel?"

"I had my cloak," Harry said, "I didn't get caught, obviously."

"I doesn't change that you could have been! Cloak or not!"

"Anyway, the point is, we still have no clue who Nicholas Flamel is," Harry said, obviously trying to stop Hermione's lecture.

"Not true," Bryt replied, "Sofí and Julio found out fer me, they told me on Christmas."

"And you didn't call me?" Hermione turned to Bryt, "Or tell me on the train?"

"I wanted to wait and tell you all together," Bryt crossed her arms over her chest, "Anyway, Nicholas Flamel's apparently an alchemist. He created somethin' called a 'Sorcerer's Stone'. It makes an Elixir of Life and can turn anythin' to gold."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione all stared at Bryt and Ron's mouth was hanging open. Hermione was the first to speak up.

"That stone must be what the cerberus is guarding," she said, "Hagrid said it was between Professor Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel, they must know each other well. Flamel must have asked Professor Dumbledore to guard the Sorcerer's Stone for him, he didn't think it was safe at Gringotts."

"And no wonder Snape wants it," Ron said, "I mean, a stone that can make you immortal and turn anything into gold? Who _wouldn't_ want something like that?"

With their mystery solved, Bryt now spent most of her extra time watching Ron play wizard's chess with Harry, when he wasn't at Quidditch practice, or Hermione, neither of whom were nearly as good as Ron, or reading one of the three Lockhart books she had brought back to school with her. She had become completely fascinated with Lockhart's work and was wondering how Julio could ever think such a brilliant wizard who had fought so many creatures could be a fraud.

Bryt had actually been in the middle of a chapter in _Year with the Yeti_ while Ron and Hermione were playing wizard's chess and Harry was at practice a few days before the Gryffindor-Hufflepuff match. Bryt had looked up when she heard a noise and noticed Harry had come back from practice, looking like he might be sick.

"What happened?" Bryt asked, closing her book and sitting up straighter in her chair. Hermione and Ron looked up from their game as well.

"I just found out that Snape's refereeing the next Quidditch match," Harry whispered, leaning closer to his friends.

"Don't play," Hermione said quickly.

"Say you're ill," Ron added.

"Break a bone," Bryt added.

"I can't," Harry said, "There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all."

Bryt was about to reply, but Neville had literally fallen into the room, his legs stuck together with a curse. Laughter filled the room, but Bryt and Hermione made their way over to Neville. Hermione used a countercurse and Bryt helped Neville to his feet, helping him into a chair near the fire.

"What happened?" Bryt asked.

"Malfoy," Neville said, "I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice on."

"Go tell Professor McGonagall!" Hermione said, "Report him!"

"I don't want more trouble," Neville mumbled, shaking his head.

"Yah needa stand up to him," Bryt said, "Can't let jerks like him walk all over yah like that."

"There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that."

"That ain't true," Bryt said, "The Sortin' Hat puts us where it thinks we belong, and it thought you belong in Gryffindor. It might take a while, but one day, you'll prove the hat right. Trust me."

Neville gave a weak smile and Bryt hugged him. She noticed Hermione grinning at her and Bryt knew they were both thinking about when the two girls had a very similar conversation on Halloween.

"Thanks," Neville said, "I think I'll go to bed..."

Bryt watched as Neville disappeared up the stairway before turning back to her friends. Harry and Ron were both staring at Bryt and looking like they were about to say something.

"Anyway," Bryt said before they could, "What're we gonna do about the match? Snape might try somethin' again."

"What about the Leg-Locker Curse Malfoy used on Neville?" Hermione suggested, "I could look it up in a book and we can practice. During the match, if we see Snape trying anything, we can use it on him."

"_You_ want to curse a teacher?" Ron stared at Hermione in shock.

"If it means saving Harry," Hermione replied simply.

"I think it's a good idea," Bryt cut in, "We can practice while yer at practice, Harry. We'll watch out fer yah, don' worry."

"Thanks," Harry grinned at them, "I really appreciate it."

The next few days seemed to pass by slowly for Bryt as the Quidditch match against Hufflepuff drew closer. While Harry had been occupied with Quidditch, Bryt, Ron, and Hermione took the time to practice the Leg-Locker Curse after Hermione found it in one of their text books. They often practiced in abandoned classrooms, and it took three full practices before Bryt could get the curse right, much longer than Ron and Hermione. After she finally got the curse right, though, she found out she was actually pretty good with it.

The morning of the match, Bryt, Ron, and Hermione headed down to the pitch with Harry and wished him good luck outside the Quidditch locker room before heading up into the stands, tucking their wands up their sleeves.

"Now, don't forget," Hermione was saying as they took their seats, "It's _Locomotor Mortis_."

"We got it, 'mione," Bryt whispered back.

"Yeah, don't nag," Ron added.

When the teams came out on the pitch, Bryt looked over at Snape, who seemed to be fuming.

"Wow, Snape doesn' look happy," Bryt commented as the game began.

"Ouch!"

Bryt turned at Ron's voice to see Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were behind them.

"Oh, sorry, Weasley, didn't see you there," Malfoy said with a grin towards his friends, "Wonder how long Potter's going to stay on his broom this time? Anyone want a bet? What about you, Weasley?"

"Buzz off, Malfoy," Bryt glared, turning back to the match. Snape had just awarded Hufflepuff a penalty because George had knocked a Bludger towards him. Bryt glanced up to Harry circling the field in search of the Snitch.

"You know how I think they choose people for the Gryffindor team?" Malfoy was only silent for a couple of minutes before speaking louder than before after Hufflepuff received a penalty for no reason, "It's people they feel sorry for. See, there's Potter, who's got no parents, then there's the Weasleys, who've got no money—you should be on the team, Longbottom, you've got no brains."

"Shut up, Malfoy," Neville said weakly, flushing brightly.

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle began laughing and Bryt glared at them before turning back to the match. She was clutching her hands into fists, wanting desperately to just hit Malfoy in the face, but she kept holding herself back, telling herself that she needed to keep an eye on Harry.

"Longbottom, if brains were gold, you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that's saying something."

"Shut up already!" Bryt turned back to Malfoy again, resisting the urge to slug him, "No one cares what you have to say."

"Ron, Bryt!" Hermione caught Bryt's attention, "Harry—!"

"Where?" both replied as Bryt spun around to see Harry had gone into a dive.

Bryt let out a gasp as she jumped to her feet, as did Hermione, who was biting on the ends of her fingers, watching Harry fly straight at the ground.

"You're in luck, Weasley, Potter's obviously spotted some money on the ground!" Malfoy said behind Bryt.

Bryt stumbled to the side, into Hermione, as someone pushed passed her, but she paid it no mind. She had climbed onto her seat, bouncing up and down, screaming encouragement at Harry. Hermione had climbed into her chair as well, yelling just as loud as her friend. They watched as Harry streaked inches from Snape and pulled from the dive, his hand raised into the air, clutching onto the Snitch.

"We won! We're in the lead!" Bryt laughed, jumping up and down as she clung onto Hermione, who clung back.

"Ron, where are you? We won!" Hermione called.

Bryt let go of Hermione and looked around, seeing Ron was looking pleased with himself, though his nose was bleeding heavily. Bryt also noticed that Neville was out cold.

"What happened?" Bryt asked, climbing through the stands towards Ron and Neville.

"Gave Malfoy a black eye," Ron said, holding his robes against his nose.

"We'd better get yah to the Hospital Wing," Bryt said, knelling next to Neville, "Neville, too. What happened to him?"

"Tried to take on Crabbe and Goyle by himself," Ron seemed proud of the boy.

Hermione gave a sigh, shaking her head before helping Bryt hoist Neville up. They headed from the crowds towards the castle, Bryt and Hermione carrying the unconscious Neville between them. Luckily, when they reached the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey didn't ask too many questions and cleaned up Ron.

"Will Neville be okay?" Bryt asked after Madam Pomfrey looked over him.

"He'll be fine," the nurse said, "But he'll be unconscious for a while."

Bryt nodded and left with her friends, heading for the Great Hall for dinner. Fred and George said they'd swipe food from the kitchen and they should celebrate in the common room after dinner. Bryt was getting excited all over again, though she, Ron, and Hermione were curious to why Harry never showed up during the meal.

After dinner, the three went looking for Harry. Bryt was the first to notice him as they rounded a corner. Grinning, she ran towards him, tackling her friend in a hug as she laughed.

"We won, Harry!" Bryt bounced between her words. Ron and Hermione had rushed over now, "We're in the lead!"

"And I gave Malfoy a black eye!" Ron went on when Bryt finally let go of her friend, "Neville even tried to take on Crabbe and Goyle single-handed!"

"Yeah, he's knocked out, but Madam Pomfrey said he'll be fine," Hermione said.

"Talk about showing Slytherin!" Ron continued, "Everyone's waiting for you in the common room, we're having a party, Fred and George stole some cakes and stuff from the kitchens."

"Never mind that now," Harry seemed breathless, "Let's find an empty room, you wait 'til you hear this..."

Bryt blinked and exchanged a confused look with the others, but followed Harry off into an empty classroom and Harry shut the door.

"I overheard Snape and Quirrell in the Forbidden Forest—"

"Harry, students aren't allowed!" Hermione squeaked.

"Just listen!" Harry hushed, "Snape was threatening Quirrell about what's in the Forbidden Corridor. We were right, it _is_ the Sorcerer's Stone being hidden there. Snape asked if Quirrell knew how to get past Fluffy—and he said something about Quirrell's 'hocus-pocus'—I reckon there are other enchantments, probably, and Quirrell would have done some anti-Dark Arts spell that Snape needs to break through—"

"So you mean the Stone's only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?" Hermione asked.

"It'll be gone by next Tuesday," Ron and Bryt said together.


	15. Baby Norbert

Surprisingly, Quirrell seemed to be tougher than he looked. Though he seemed to be paler and skinnier over the weeks, he hadn't seemed to break down completely. Fluffy still seemed to be in the forbidden corridor whenever the four passed it and Snape seemed to be in a bad temper, which meant that the stone had to be safe.

As the end of the year became only a few months away, Hermione became more preoccupied with the exams approaching. She made herself a study schedule and began color-coding her notes, then she began insisting the others do the same.

"We've got ages, 'mione," Bryt groaned one afternoon when Hermione started insisting they have another study session.

"Ten weeks," Hermione snapped.

"What do _you_ have to study for, anyway?" Ron asked, "You already know it all."

"Are you crazy?" Hermione seemed horrified by the question, "You do realize we need to pass these exams to get into the second year? They're very important, I should have started studying a month ago, I don't know what's gotten into me..."

Bryt looked over at Harry and Ron, rolling her eyes. Though she found out the teachers seemed to be on the same mindset of Hermione because their homework began piling up. Easter holidays seemed as if they weren't holidays at all as they had to work on their classwork and listen to Hermione going over her studying constantly.

One afternoon in the library, Bryt gave a frustrated groan and slammed her head onto the table after another attempt to memorize her notes from History of Magic. Ron seemed to agree as he threw his quill down and looked longingly out the window at the clear sky outside.

"I'll never remember all this," he groaned, "Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?"

Bryt lifted her head from the table as Harry and Hermione also looked up in interest. Sure enough, Hagrid was nearby, seeming out of place as he always did. He also seemed to be hiding something behind his back.

"Jus' lookin'," Hagrid said in a shifty voice, "An' what're you lot up ter? Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"

"Nah, we found him long ago," Bryt shrugged, "And about the Sorcerer's St—"

"_Shhh_!" Hagrid glanced around before turning back to the four, "Don' go shoutin' about it, what's the matter with yeh?"

"There's a few things we wanted to ask you, as a matter of fact," Harry spoke up, "About what's guarding the Stone apart from Fluffy—"

"SHHH! Listen—come an' see me later, I'm not promisin' I'll tell yeh anythin', mind yeh, but don' go rabbitin' about in here, students aren' s'possed ter know. They'll think I've told yeh—"

"Fine, see yah," Bryt spoke up and Hagrid hurried off.

"What was he hiding behind his back?" Hermione asked.

"Maybe it had something to do with the Stone?" Bryt asked.

"I'll go see what section he was in," Ron stood up and headed off. He came back soon after with a pile of books that he dropped on the table with a loud thud.

"_Dragons_!" he whispered, "Hagrid was looking up stuff about dragons! Look at these: _Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland_..._From Egg to Inferno, A Dragon Keeper's Guide_..."

"Let me see that," Bryt said excitedly, snatching the book away from Ron and immediately opening it, receiving a strange look from Ron.

"Hagrid's always wanted a dragon," Harry commented, "He told me so the first time I ever met him."

"It's against our laws," Ron said, "Dragon breeding was outlawed by the Warlocks' Convention of 1709, everyone knows that. It's hard to stop Muggles from noticing us if we're keeping dragons in the back garden—"

"And it takes trained professionals to work with dragons," Bryt interrupted, not looking up from the book she had snatched from Ron, "Not to mention their eggs are Class A Non-Tradeable Goods."

"But there aren't wild dragons in _Britain_?"

"Of course," Bryt looked up, "There's the Hebridean Blacks and Common Welsh Dragons, both are native here."

Bryt found herself meeting the stares of her friends. Harry and Ron seemed confused while Hermione seemed impressed. Bryt felt heat rising to her face and cleared her throat.

"So...the Ministry of Magic has a job hushing dragons up, I can tell you," Ron spoke up, pulling the attention from Bryt, "Our kind have to keep putting spells on Muggles who've spotted them, to make them forget."

"So what on earth's Hagrid up to?" Hermione asked.

They received the answer that afternoon when they went down to visit Hagrid. When the gamekeeper ushered them into the hut, Bryt found it extremely hot, even for the South Carolina native. The day outside was warm and nice as it was, yet Hagrid had started a large fire and had his curtains closed.

"So—yeh wanted to ask me somethin'?" Hagrid asked after the four refused the sandwiches he had offered.

"Yes," Harry said, "We were wondering if you could tell us what's guarding the Sorcerer's Stone apart from Fluffy."

"O' course I can't," Hagrid frowned, "Number one, I don' know meself. Number two, yeh know too much already, so I wouldn' tell yeh if I could. That Stone's here fer a good reason. It was almost stolen outta Gringotts—I s'pose yeh've worked that out an' all? Beats me how yeh even know abou' Fluffy."

"Oh, come on, Hagrid," Hermione said in a flattering way, "You might not want to tell us, but you _do_ know, you know everything that goes on round here."

"Besides, we only want to know _who's_ guardin' the Stone," Bryt caught on to Hermione's plan and spoke up herself, "Obviously you would know who Dumbledore would trust in somethin' like this. Besides you, of course."

That seemed to work for Hagrid straightened himself up and he seemed to be grinning under his beard.

"Well, I don' s'pose it it could hurt ter tell yeh that...let's see...he borrowed Fluffy from me...then some o' the teachers did enchantments...Professor Sprout—Professor Flitwick—Professor McGonagall—Professor Quirrell—an' Dumbledore himself did somethin', o' course. Hang on, I've forgotten someone. Oh yeah, Professor Snape."

"_Snape_?"

"Yeah—yer not still on abou' that, are yeh? Look, Snape helped _protect_ the Stone, he's not about ter steal it."

Bryt glanced over at her friends. It was obvious they were all thinking the same thing. Snape had to know what other teachers were guarding the Stone, which meant he easily could have found out how to get past them. Except for Quirrell's enchantment and how to get past Fluffy.

"Yer the only one who knows howta get past Fluffy, right?" Bryt asked, "And you wouldn' tell no one, wouldja? Not even a teacher?"

"Not a soul knows except me an' Dumbledore," Hagrid said proudly.

"Well, that's something," Harry whispered to the others before turning to Hagrid, "Hagrid, can we have a window open? I'm boiling."

"Can't, Harry, Sorry," Hagrid said, glancing at the fire. Bryt followed his gaze to a large, black object and gasped. Hagrid had a dragon egg in his fire.

"Hagrid, how did you get that?!" she asked in a mix of excitement and shock, "They're Class A Non-Tradeable! Illegal!"

"Won it," Hagrid said simply, "Las' night. I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."

"But what are you going to do with it when it's hatched?" Hermione spoke up.

"Well, I've bin doin' some readin'," Hagrid admitted, getting out an old book from under his pillow, "Got this outta the library—_Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit_—it's a bit outta date, o' course, but it's all here. Keep the egg in the fire, 'cause their mothers breathe on 'em, see, an' when it hatches, feed it on a bucket o' brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour. An' see here—how ter recognize the diff'rent eggs—what I got there's a—"

"Norwegian Ridgeback," Bryt interrupted, "They're a pretty rare breed and they're very aggressive."

Hagrid gave Bryt a pleased grin and Hermione looked almost horrified.

"Hagrid, you live in a _wooden house_," she said, though Hagrid didn't seem to hear.

"Do you think I can help you out?" Bryt asked, finding the idea of raising a dragon fascinating.

"O' course!" Hagrid seemed delighted at the offer as he beamed brightly.

When they left Hagrid's hut, though, Hermione pointed something that ruined Bryt's enthusiasm over raising a dragon.

"What do you think will happen when someone finds out about the dragon?" Hermione asked.

Bryt sighed, shoving her hands in her pockets. She loved the idea of raising a dragon, but she didn't want to cause any trouble, or get Hagrid into trouble.

"Didn' think about that..." she said slowly, "D'you think we should try and talk Hagrid into gettin' rid of it?"

"I doubt we'd succeed," Harry said, "Like I said, Hagrid's always wanted a dragon. I doubt he's going to give this one up just because we don't want him to get caught raising it."

Bryt sighed again and glanced over her shoulder towards Hagrid's hut as the quartet headed inside. She didn't have much time to worry afterward, though, as schoolwork piled up more and Hermione began planning study schedules for her, Ron, and Harry.

One breakfast, Harry received a note Bryt had been waiting for since seeing the egg. Hagrid had sent a piece of paper with only two words: _It's hatching_.

Bryt and Ron both were ready to just skip Herbology and rush right down to the hut, but Hermione was determined with this one. She refused to listen to any pleading.

"We've got lessons," she was saying, "We'll get in trouble, and that's nothing to what Hagrid's going to be in when someone finds out what he's doing—"

"Shut up!" Harry cut Hermione off.

Bryt blinked and looked around to see Malfoy nearby, frozen in place in an attempt to listen into their conversation. The look on his face made Bryt feel slightly uncomfortable as she glared at him. They turned and hurried on to Herbology and Bryt and Ron continued in whispers, fussing with Hermione about going to see the dragon hatch.

"C'mern, Hermione! We get to see a dragon _hatch_!" Bryt begged, "It's a once-in-a-lifetime deal! Please?"

Hermione finally sighed.

"Fine," she whispered back, "We'll go during our morning break."

When Herbology ended, the four of them rushed out as fast as they could and straight for Hagrid's hut where he greeted them with a flushed grin and ushered them inside.

"It's nearly out," he was saying.

Bryt grinned excitedly at the egg on the table, hurrying over to see the deep cracks throughout it and hear the clicking noises inside it. They all pulled chairs closer to watch and they didn't have to wait long. The egg soon split open in a second and the baby dragon flopped out. Bryt gave a low 'aww' and couldn't get over how cute the dragon looked with it's spiny wings that were much larger than its narrow body and its long snout. Horn stubs were on its head and its orange eyes stood out against its black body. It gave a sneeze that caused sparks and Bryt gave another aww.

"Isn't he _beautiful_?" Hagrid grinned, reaching out to pet the dragon, which immediately snapped at him, barring his fangs, "Bless him, he knows his mommy!"

"He's adorable!" Bryt said excitedly.

"How fast do Norwegian Ridgebacks grow, exactly?" Hermione asked slowly.

Hagrid was about to reply when he suddenly jumped to his feet and ran to the window.

"What's wrong?" Bryt blinked.

"Someone was lookin' through the gap in the curtains—it's a kid—he's runnin' back up ter the school."

Harry ran to the window and suddenly straightened more.

"Malfoy!" he gasped.

Bryt swallowed, looking back to the baby dragon. Malfoy knew about it now, and nothing good could come from that.

**xxxxx**

Malfoy now seemed to always have a look on his face that left Bryt nervous, and gave her the urge to punch him. She tried to resist it, though, not wanting to give Malfoy an excuse to run straight to a teacher about the dragon. Instead, she tried to focus on helping Harry, Ron, and Hermione talk Hagrid into giving up the dragon.

"Just let him go," Harry said, "Set him free."

"I can't," Hagrid said, "He's too little. He'd die."

"Norwegians are tough," Bryt said. She wanted to keep the dragon around as much as Hagrid, but she couldn't keep Malfoy's smug grin out of her head. Bryt looked over at the dragon, who had tripled in size. Hagrid's hut was a mess and he had also been neglecting his gamekeeping duties to take care of the dragon.

"I've decided to call him Norbert," Hagrid spoke up, "He really knows me know, watch. Norbert! Norbert! Where's Mommy?"

"Norbert'll be as big as the house in a matter of weeks, Hagrid," Bryt pleaded, "And Malfoy can tell Professor Dumbledore at any time now."

"I—I know I can't keep him forever," Hagrid said, biting his lip, "But I can't jus' dump him, I can't."

"Charlie," Harry said and Bryt looked over to see he was looking at Ron.

"You're losing it, too," Ron said, "I'm Ron remember?"

"No—Charlie—your brother, Charlie. In Romania. Studying dragons."

Bryt suddenly gasped.

"That's a great idea!" she said, "Send Norbert to Charlie! He can take care of him!"

"Yeah!" Ron turned to Hagrid, "How about it?"

It took more convincing, but Hagrid finally agreed. Ron wrote to Charlie and the next week seemed like it would never end. One night, Bryt was with Harry and Hermione were in the common room long after everyone else was in bed, waiting on Ron to return from Hagrid's. He finally did right at midnight with Harry's cloak.

"It bit me!" he said, showing them his hand, which he had wrapped badly in a handkerchief that was already bloody, "I'm not going to be able to hold a quill for a week, but the way Hagrid goes on about it, you'd think it was a fluffy bunny rabbit—"

"He's just a baby, Ron," Bryt defended, "You probably startled him."

Ron looked at Bryt as if she were insane and was obviously about to make a comment, but a tapping at the window caused them all to turn to see Harry's snowy owl at the window.

"It's Hedwig!" Harry exclaimed, rushing over and letting her in, "She'll have Charlie's answer!"

Bryt, Ron, and Hermione rushed over to read the note over Harry's shoulder.

_Dear Ron,_

_How are you? Thanks for the letter—I'd be glad to take the Norwegian Ridgeback, but it won't be easy getting him here. I think the best thing will be to send him over with some friends of mine who are coming to visit me next week. Trouble is, they mustn't be seen carrying an illegal dragon.  
Could you get the Ridgeback up the tallest tower at midnight on Saturday? They can meet you there and take him away while it's still dark.  
Send me an answer as soon as possible._

_Love,  
Charlie._

"We've got the invisibility cloak," Harry said, "It shouldn't be too difficult."

"It'll take a lot luggin' Norbert through the school," Bryt said, "Though I doubt we'll all fit."

"The cloak should cover two of us with Norbert," Harry said, thinking it over, "The other two can wait here for when we get back."

They agreed it was the best way. Anything to get Malfoy off their case and get Norbert off the Hogwarts grounds.

The next morning, though, Ron's injured hand had swollen and it was worrying Bryt.

"Ron, you've _gotta_ go see Madam Pomfrey!" Bryt said for the third time as she and Ron were heading to meet Hermione and Harry for breakfast.

"But what if she recognizes a dragon bite?" Ron asked, "She'll ask how I got bit, I just know it."

"If you don' go, you might lose yer hand!" Bryt insisted, "Ron, please, just go!"

"No, I'll be okay," Ron said, "It'll stop swelling soon, I bet."

"No it won'! Ridgeback fangs are poisonous!" Bryt snapped, then grabbed onto Ron's arm, "Yer goin' to the Hospital Wing right now! I waited 'til now because I wasn' sure if a baby Ridgeback's fangs would be poisonous yet, but it looks like they are. I'm not lettin' you wait anymore."

"Bryt!" Ron tried to yank his arm away as Bryt started pulling him towards the Hospital Wing.

"Don' argue with me," Bryt said, glaring at Ron, "I'm puttin' my foot down on this."

Luckily, when Bryt and Ron told Madam Pomfrey that Ron had been bitten by a dog, she didn't ask any questions. Bryt wanted to stay with Ron to make sure he was okay, but Madam Pomfrey chased her out, saying Ron would need rest and Bryt shouldn't skip a day of classes. Reluctantly, Bryt told Ron bye, then headed from the Hospital Wing. It was too late for her to get breakfast, so she headed down towards the dungeons for their potions class.

"Bryt, there you are," Hermione said, "Where have you been? Where's Ron?"

"Hospital Wing," Bryt dropped her voice to a whisper as she noticed Malfoy was looking over at them, "He didn' wanna go, but I dragged him there anyway."

"We can visit him this afternoon," Hermione whispered back as the three headed into the Potions classroom.

At the end of the day, Bryt headed off to the hospital wing with Harry and Hermione. Bryt noticed that Ron didn't look good at all.

"It's not just my hand," he said lowly as Bryt sat on the edge of Ron's bed and Harry and Hermione took the two seats, "Although that feels like it's about to fall off. Malfoy showed up during lunch and told Madam Pomfrey he wanted to borrow one of my books so he could have a good laugh at me. He kept threatening to tell her what really bit me—Bryt and I told her it was a dog, but I don't think she believes us—I shouldn't have hit him at the Quidditch match, that's why he's doing this."

"Malfoy deserved that black eye," Bryt said simply, "Besides, this'll all be over Saturday night."

Ron suddenly sat up, his eyes wide.

"Saturday night!" he groaned, "I've just remembered—Charlie's letter was in that book Malfoy took, he's going to know we're getting rid of Norbert!"

Bryt, Ron, and Hermione all opened their mouths to speak up, but they were ran out by Madam Pomfrey, insisting that Ron needed sleep.

"We can't change anythin' now," Bryt groaned as they hurried down to tell Hagrid about Charlie's letter, "We jus' haveta risk it."

"And we have the cloak," Harry said, "Malfoy doesn't know about that."

**xxxxx**

Saturday night came slowly for them and when it was time, Hermione and Harry got under the invisibility cloak and left the common room and Bryt curled up in one of the chairs with her copy of _Gadding With Ghouls_. If anyone came in, she'd simply tell them she couldn't sleep and came down to the common room to read to avoid waking up her dorm mates.

Bryt had just been in the middle of an exciting paragraph of how Lockhart was trying to use a tea-strainer to catch a loose ghoul when something caught the corner of her eye and she looked up to see Neville coming down from the boy's dormitories.

"Neville?" Bryt spoke up, placing her bookmark in her book before closing it.

Neville jumped and spun around towards Bryt, then looked relieved.

"Bryt!" he cried and Bryt jumped up, shushing him before he could wake anyone.

"What're you doin' up?" she asked.

"I've got to warn Harry," Neville said, "Malfoy heard that he had a dragon, and he's trying to get Harry caught out-of-bounds tonight. I thought Malfoy was just joking, but I just saw Harry's bed was empty."

Neville was already starting for the portrait and Bryt hurried out of the common room after him.

"Neville, don'!" Bryt hissed, trying to catch up to the boy, "Listen, Harry's fine, don' worry! Now get back here before we get—"

The two had rounded a corner and found themselves standing face-to-face with McGonagall.

"—caught..." Bryt finished lamely, swallowing. McGonagall's lips had gone thin and her nostrals were flared. She looked angrier than Bryt had ever seen her before. All Bryt could think was that they were in serious trouble and she'd be extremely lucky if she wasn't expelled on the spot.


	16. Detention in the Forest

Bryt kept biting her lip, gripping her hands together as she and Neville followed their head-of-house towards her office. Bryt didn't dare look over at Neville, her mind preoccupied with what was going to happen to them and trying to cheer herself up by saying at least Harry and Hermione would be able to get Norbert away and they wouldn't be caught.

That thought was ruined, though, when they stepped into McGonagall's office and Bryt's heart sank as she saw Harry and Hermione waiting inside. She noticed both of their expressions mirrored her own; shocked to see each other in the office.

"Harry!" Neville exclaimed, "I was trying to find you to warn you, I heard Malfoy saying he was going to catch you, he said you had a drag—"

Harry began shaking his head to cut Neville off, but McGonagall had seen him. She glared at the four students in a way that frightened Bryt more than anything she had ever seen before. She hunched her shoulders and ducked her head, trying to look anywhere but McGonagall.

"I would have never believed it of any of you. Mr. Filch says you two were up in the astronomy tower. It's one o'clock in the morning. _Explain yourselves_."

Bryt glanced at Hermione, but the girl was at lost for words, staring down at her shoes. Bryt gulped, trying to think of some excuse, any excuse, but nothing came to mind.

"I think I've got a good idea of what's been going on," McGonagall said, causing Bryt to look over at her teacher, "It doesn't take a genius to work it out. You fed Draco Malfoy some cock-and-bull story about a dragon, trying to get him out of bed and into trouble. I've already caught him. I suppose you think it's funny that Longbottom here heard the story and believed it, too? So you had Miss Watkins lead him around tonight?"

Bryt ducked her head again and kept her gaze down on her feet as she bit her lower lip and wrung her hands together. She already knew they were as good as expelled, there was no point in saying anything now.

"I'm disgusted," McGonagall continued, "Five students out of bed in one night! I've never heard of such a thing before! Miss Granger, I thought you had more sense. As for you two, Mr. Potter, Miss Watkins, I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this. All four of you will receive detentions—and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor."

"_Fifty_?" Harry and Bryt gasped, and Bryt shot her head up and stared at their teacher in shock. Fifty points gone...They would lose the lead for the House Cup.

"Fifty points _each_," McGonagall said sharply.

"Professor—please—"

"You _can't_—"

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, Potter. Now, get back to bed, all of you. I've never been more ashamed of Gryffindor students."

The walk back to the common room was just as bad as listening to McGonagall. Two hundred points lost in one night...Gryffindor had just gone from first place to last. Once in the common room, Bryt and Hermione parted ways with Harry and Neville, heading up to their room. They didn't say a word to each other, simply just crawled into their beds and tried to sleep, dreading the morning to come.

**-----**

It was just as bad as Bryt had imagined. Gryffindors didn't quite believe the missing two hundred points at first when they passed the towering hourglasses that recorded house points. The news began spreading quickly, though, with Harry getting most of the hit. Gryffindor's Quidditch star had been the reason they lost all those points, with a few other first year students.

Harry now seemed the most hated student in school, even by Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. The Slytherins, however, congratulated and cheered at Harry whenever he passed. Insults were thrown at Harry wherever he went and Hermione constantly had to grab onto Bryt's arm to keep from punching whoever opened their mouth against her friend.

Bryt, Hermione, and Neville were bad off, but not as bad as Harry since they weren't as well known. The only people who would talk with them were Harry and Ron now. Hermione had even stopped constantly answering questions, keeping to herself in class. Bryt even remained silent in Potions, keeping her head low over her cauldron and trying to focus on her work.

Exams became a good distraction for Bryt as she stayed with Hermione, Ron, and Harry to study and memorize their work. That's what Bryt was doing now, one week before exams. She was in the library with Ron and Hermione after Harry had decided to go back to the common room on his own.

Bryt and Ron were being quizzed over their Astronomy work, annoying Hermione by making a game out of it to see who could answer first and giving themselves points for correct answers.

"Ha! Seven-four now!" Ron said happily, adding another mark to his total after answering another question.

"There's still a long way to go, Ron," Bryt replied with a smirk, "I could still beatchya."

"Can't you two take this seriously?" Hermione asked for a fifth time, "These are our exams, we _have_ to pass them."

"C'mern, Hermione," Bryt replied, "This helps me. It's how I've always studied, jus' 'cause we're makin' it a game doesn' mean we ain't takin' it seriously."

"Yeah, don't be so uptight," Ron added.

Hermione gave them a stern look and was about to reply, but Harry had shown up and sat next to Bryt.

"I just heard Quirrell," he said before the others could question him, "He was being threatened in an empty classroom...He's given in to Snape, I swear."

"Snape's done it, then!" Ron said, "If Quirrell's told him how to break his Anti-Dark Force spell—"

"There's still Fluffy, though," Hermione cut in.

"Snape could have found out how to get past him on his own," Bryt said, her game with Ron forgotten.

"Yeah," Ron said, looking around, "I bet there's a book somewhere in here telling you how to get past a cerberus. Or Bryt!" Ron turned to the blonde, his face showing he was itching for an adventure, "You're an expert on this. How do you get past something like that?"

Bryt flushed and was about to answer, but Harry had cut her off.

"We're not doing anything," he said, "We've caused enough trouble. Besides, what could we do?"

"Go to Dumbledore," Hermione spoke up before Bryt or Ron could, "That's what we should have done ages ago. If we try anything ourselves, we'll be thrown out for sure."

"We don' got any proof, 'mione," Bryt said, "Quirrell ain't gonna back us up, he's nothin' but a giant chicken. Snape'll just say he hasn' been doin' anythin'. And who do you think the headmaster will believe? A teacher or a group of students who're known to hate him?"

"Besides, we're not even supposed to know about the Stone or Fluffy," Harry added, "That'll take a lot of explaining."

Hermione nodded, obviously convinced. Ron wasn't, though.

"If we just do a bit of poking around—"

"Nuh-uh," Bryt shook her head quickly, "You weren' the one caught in the middle of the night, so you won' understand. Sneakin' days are over for me."

"Exactly," Harry said, grabbing Bryt's map of Jupiter.

The conversation died and studying continued until the four decided it was time to head back to the common room and on to bed. Bryt woke up early the next morning and at breakfast, she received a note, as well as Harry, Hermione, and Neville.

_Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight.  
Meet Filch in the entrance hall._

_Professor M. McGonagall_

Bryt looked over at her friends, meeting the same look as she felt. They were getting what they deserved.

When eleven o'clock came, Bryt, Hermione, and Harry said bye to Ron before heading out with Neville. When they reached the entrance hall, Filch was already there with Malfoy. Bryt blinked, confused for a second. Then, she remembered that McGonagall said Malfoy had been caught and would be serving detention as well.

"Follow me," Filch said, lighting a lamp before leading the five across the grounds of Hogwarts, "I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh? Oh yes...hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me...It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out...hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed...Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do."

Bryt gulped silently as she and Hermione clung to each others' hands slightly while they headed across the grounds. Neville kept sniffling next them, which made Bryt feel worse. It was their fault that he was there...And Filch being in such a good mood made Bryt worry about what punishment was awaiting them, especially in the dark, cloudy night they were in now.

They didn't stop until they had reached Hagrid's hut, where they were met with a shout in the distance.

"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started."

Bryt looked at Harry and Hermione, her spirits lifting slightly. They were having detention with Hagrid. Their relief showed, though, and Filch drowned their spirits instantly.

"I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourselves with that oaf?" Filch asked, "Well, think again—it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."

Neville gave a little moan and Bryt patted him on the back as Malfoy froze.

"The forest?" he repeated weakly, "We can't go in there at night—there's all sorts of things in there—werewolves, I heard."

Neville made a small noise, clutching onto Harry and Bryt patted his back again, trying to give him a reassuring grin.

"That's your problem, isn't it?" Filch replied, seeming happy, "Should've thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you?"

Hagrid arrived then, Fang at his side, a large crossbow in his hands, and a quiver of arrows on his shoulder.

"Abou' time," he said, "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All right, Harry, Bryt, Hermione?"

"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid," Filch cut in coldly, "They're here to be punished, after all."

"That's why yer late, is it?" Hagrid frowned at the caretaker, "Bin lecturin' them, eh? 'Snot your place ter do that. Yeh've done yer bit, I'll take over from here."

"I'll be back at dawn," Filch said, "For what's left of them."

Bryt watched until Filch's lamp disappeared into the darkness before turning to Hagrid.

"I'm not going into that forest," Malfoy spoke up and Bryt couldn't help but grin as she noticed he seemed a little panicked.

"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts," Hagrid replied, "Yeh've done wrong an' now yeh've got ter pay fer it."

"But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be copying lines or something, if my father knew what I was doing this, he'd—"

"—tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts. Copyin' lines! What good's that ter anyone? Yeh'll do summat useful or yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on!"

Malfoy just stared at Hagrid with a slight glare, but looked down quickly.

"Right then," Hagrid said, "Now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment."

Bryt and the others followed Hagrid to the edge of the forest and Hagrid lifted his lamp before pointing down a winding, narrow path leading into the forest. Bryt's eyes went to what looked like puddles of silvery liquid pooled on the ground.

"Look there," he said, "See that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff?"

"Unicorn blood," Bryt blurted out without thinking.

"Right yeh are," Hagrid said, giving Bryt a pleased grin, "There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summant. This is the second time this week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery."

"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" Malfoy asked in fear.

"There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang. An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least."

"I want Fang," Malfoy said quickly, looking to the large dog.

"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," Hagrid said, "So, me, Harry, an' Hermione'll go one way an' Draco, Neville, Fang, and Bryt'll go the other. Now, if any of us find the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wands out an' practice now—that's it—an' if anyone gets into trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll come an' find yeh—so, be careful—let's go."

With that, the two groups went their separate ways into the forest. Bryt kept gripping her wand, hoping that they wouldn't run into whatever was strong enough to kill a unicorn.


	17. Unicorn Blood

As Bryt, Neville, Malfoy, and Fang moved deeper into the forest along the trail, Bryt began doing what she sometimes did when she was nervous. She started talking about anything that would come to her mind, in this case, unicorns.

"It's smart Hagrid sent me and Hermione in different groups," she said, "Unicorns are more willin' to allow witches to approach them than wizards."

Malfoy made a noise of annoyance from off to the side and Bryt glared over at him, though Neville seemed to be a little more at ease with someone breaking the silence.

"I don' know what coulda gotten a unicorn, though," Bryt continued, "They're fast creatures, very difficult to catch. Hasta be somethin' really dangerous to catch and hurt one."

Neville made a noise and gripped onto Bryt's robes. Malfoy even seemed to pale slightly.

"You heard Hagrid, Neville," Bryt ignored Malfoy, giving Neville a grin, "Nothin'll hurt us if we keep Fang close by and stay on the trail."

Neville nodded weakly as they continued, Bryt still talking about anything that would come to mind, mostly information on unicorns and sometimes another creatures. The entire time, Malfoy kept telling Bryt to shut up, but she ignored him. After several minutes, Bryt realized she hadn't heard Malfoy say anything in a while, so she stopped with Neville.

"Where'd Malfoy go?" Bryt asked, looking around.

"BOO!"

Neville suddenly yelped and shot out a set of red sparks from his wand. Bryt spun around to see Malfoy laughing behind them. Before she could stop herself, Bryt balled up her fist and slugged Malfoy as hard as she could in the jaw, which silenced him instantly as he stared at Bryt in shock, his hand going to his cheek.

"You stupid, self-centered jerk!" Bryt growled as she started towards him until Malfoy had his back to one of the trees, "What did you think you were doin', sneakin' around and scarin' Neville like that?! This forest is dangerous, or didja forget?! Yer gonna get us hurt with yer stupid pranks, not to mention make us lose valuable time tryin' to find the unicorn! Don' you have any common sense?! I swear, if you try that again, I'll—Hagrid!"

Bryt cut off in her rant to see Hagrid had pushed into view, looking around with his crossbow raised. Once he realized there was no immediate danger, Hagrid lowered the crossbow and looked around at the group. When Hagrid looked between Bryt and Malfoy, Bryt felt heat rise to her face moved away. She looked down at her hands and noticed red marks on her palms where her fingernails had dug into her skin. She hadn't realized how hard she had been clutching her hands.

"What happened?" Hagrid demanded, studying them, his eyes staying on Malfoy's reddened cheek.

"Malfoy sneaked up on me," Neville said weakly from beside Bryt, "I panicked and set off the sparks."

Hagrid glared at Malfoy now, who was finally recovering himself from Bryt's yelling.

"C'mon, all three of yeh," Hagrid said, "Fang, come."

Bryt headed off with Neville and Malfoy, following Hagrid and Fang. Bryt was still fuming over Malfoy's prank and remained silent the entire walk to where Hermione and Harry were. When the two came over, Bryt explained what had happened, leaving out what she had done to Malfoy.

"We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with the racket you were makin'," Hagrid said, looking to Bryt, Neville, and Malfoy. Bryt flushed as Hagrid continued, "Right, we're changin' groups—Neville, you stay with me an' Hermione, Harry, you go with Fang, Bryt, and this idiot." Hagrid leaned over to whisper to Harry, but Bryt was close enough to hear, "I'm sorry, but he'll have a harder time frightenin' you, an' we've gotta get this done. Besides, Bryt was yellin' at the boy, I don' think he'll be tryin' anythin' again."

The groups split again, Harry and Neville switching teams. Once out of sight of the others, Harry had turned to Bryt.

"You really were yelling at Malfoy?" he asked.

Bryt flushed, glaring at Malfoy ahead of them with Fang.

"After I punched him," she whispered, "It all came out before I could even think. It's jus'...Scarin' poor Neville like that..."

"I think it's brilliant," Harry said.

Bryt grinned and the conversation fell silent until Bryt began her ramble about creatures again. Malfoy didn't fuss at her to shut up as he had with Neville, possibly afraid of Bryt hitting him again. They followed the trail of blood deeper and deeper into the forest as the blood seemed to get thicker. They soon reached a clearing past tangled branches.

"Look—" Harry whispered, stopping the other two.

Bryt gasped seeing something white on the ground. She edged closer with the others and groaned when she realized it was the injured unicorn—and it was dead.

"Poor thing," Bryt whispered, staring at the beautiful creature standing out against the forest ground, its legs at awkward angles and its mane being a pool of white on the ground. She couldn't help but feel incredibly sad as she stared at the dead creature, wondering what would be so cruel as to kill a unicorn.

Bryt turned away and pulled her wand out, about to send off green sparks when a noise in a bush nearby caused her to stop. She turned to see some creature hidden by a cloak came stalking out from the bushes, low to the ground. Bryt felt a familiar cold wave of fear wash over her and her mind screamed at her to run, but all she could do was stand and stare as the figure reached the unicorn and lowered its head, beginning to drink the unicorn's blood.

Malfoy screamed somewhere behind Bryt and Harry, and there was the sudden noise of someone running. Bryt, still frozen, had her hands tightly gripping the back of Harry's robes, staring at the cloaked figure from around Harry's side. The figure had obviously heard the scream and looked up to the two, silvery blood running down its cloak. It rose slowly and then moved straight for the two friends.

Bryt had squeezed her eyes shut and tried to bury her face in Harry's back, but he had staggered backwards, his hand over his forehead, which nearly caused Bryt to fall. The sound of hooves against the ground came from behind the two and Bryt opened her eyes just in time to see what looked like a palomino horse jump clear over the two students.

Harry suddenly collapsed to his knees and Bryt yelped, kneeling down. She gripped Harry around the shoulders to support him.

"Harry? Harry!" Bryt called, completely forgetting what had happened moments before. All she could do right now is try and make sure Harry was okay.

After a couple of minutes, Harry finally looked up. Bryt grinned, relief rushing through her as she saw he was okay. Bryt, then, followed Harry's gaze and noticed the creature who had driven off the cloaked figure. Indeed, he had the body of a palomino, but instead if a neck and head, he had a human torso, arms, and head, and white-blonde hair down his back.

"A centaur!" Bryt breathed in awe.

"Are you two all right?" the centaur asked, pulling Bryt and Harry to their feet. Bryt looked at Harry, watching him in case he needed help.

"Yes—thank you," he said, "What _was_ that?"

The centaur didn't answer, just stared at Harry with amazing pale sapphire eyes. He seemed to stare at Harry's scar and Bryt shifted her weight from foot to foot, waiting for the centaur to speak up.

"You are the Potter boy," the centaur said, still watching Harry, "You had better get back to Hagrid. The forest is not safe at this time—especially for you," he added more specifically to Harry, "Can you two ride? It will be quicker this way. My name is Firenze."

"I'm Bryt," Bryt said weakly as Firenze lowered himself to allow Harry and her to climb onto his back. As the centaur rose to his feet, there was more galloping around them and two more centaurs appeared. One had red hair and a beard, as well as a chestnut body. The other looked much wilder with black hair and a black body.

"Ronan and Bane," Harry whispered to Bryt, "I ran into them with Hagrid earlier."

"Firenze!" Bane sounded as angry as he looked wild, "What are you doing? You have humans on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common mule?"

"Do you realize who this is?" Firenze replied, "This is the Potter boy. The quicker he leaves the forest, the better. The girl is merely a child, she should not be left alone in the forest."

"And what have you been telling them?" Bane growled lowly, "Remember, Firenze, we are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets?"

Ronan seemed nervous as he pawed at the ground. "I'm sure Firenze though he was acting for the best," he said. His voice sounded so gloomy and Bryt couldn't help but wonder why.

Bane kicked out is back legs and Bryt jumped slightly.

"For the best!" Bane cried, "What is that to do with us? Centaurs are concerned with what has been foretold! It is not our business to run around like donkeys after stray humans in our forest!"

Bryt let out a loud yelp and wrapped her arms tightly around Firenze's waist and press her knees into his side as the centaur reared onto his hind legs in anger. She could feel Harry grip tightly around her in turn, trying to stay on behind Bryt.

"Do you not see that unicorn?" the centaur spoke out, "Do you not understand why it was killed? Or have the planets not let you in on that secret? I set myself against what is lurking in this forest, Bane, yes, with humans alongside me if I must."

Firenze didn't let the other centaurs reply for he turned quickly and started fast through the trees, Bryt clinging to him and Harry clinging to her in turn.

"What was all that about?" Bryt asked.

"And what was that thing you saved us from?" Harry seemed just as lost.

The only reply from the centaur was a warning to keep their heads low from branches as he slowed to a walk. The ride was silent as they continued along until Firenze stopped in a dense area of trees.

"Do either of you know what unicorn blood is used for?"

"No," Harry said, "We've only used the horn and tail hair in Potions."

"I do," Bryt whispered weakly, "Drinkin' unicorn blood can keep yah alive, no matter what, but you'll be cursed."

"Exactly," Firenze said, "Because you have slain something pure and defenseless to save yourself, you will have a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."

"But who would be so desperate?" Harry asked, "If you're going to be cursed forever, death's better, isn't it?"

"It is. Unless all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else—something that will bring you back to full strength and power—something that will mean you can never die—"

"Like the Sorcerer's Stone!" Bryt gasped.

"But I don't understand," Harry said, "Who would—"

"Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?"

Bryt blinked, confused, but Harry gave a small gasp.

"Do you mean," Harry's voice was weak, "That creature was _Vol_—"

"Harry! Bryt! Are you two all right?"

The two looked over to see Hermione running towards them, Hagrid, Neville, and Malfoy right behind her, though Malfoy seemed more reluctant.

"We're fine," Bryt said, then to Hagrid, "The unicorn's dead, Hagrid, In the clearin' back there."

Hagrid hurried off and Harry and Bryt slid from Firenze's back.

"This is where I leave you," the centaur said, "You are safe now. Good luck, Harry Potter. The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times."

Bryt watched Firenze disappear into the trees before turning back to her friends, hugging her robes against her. She couldn't get the image of that...creature drinking the unicorn blood out of her head. Hermione seemed to notice something was bothering Bryt because she kept watching Bryt carefully. Any time Bryt caught her eye, she simply grinned back, not wanting to say anything in front of Neville and Malfoy.

Soon enough, Hagrid returned and the five students were led from the forest and back to the castle. They were quiet as they headed back to the common room where Bryt, Harry, and Hermione found Ron asleep in the common room as Neville disappeared up to his dorm.

Bryt walked over and shoved Ron from his chair to wake him up, only to have Ron yell something about a Quidditch foul as he hit the floor. After what had happened in the forest, Bryt found it completely amusing and started laughing as her friend glared at her.

Once Ron was fully awake, Harry and Bryt both went explanation of what had happened in the forest, taking turns through the story. Harry was pacing back in forth in front of the fire while Bryt was sitting where Ron had been asleep moments before.

"Snape wants the stone for Voldemort," Harry said, "And Voldemort's waiting in the forest...and all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich..."

"Stop saying that name!" Ron whispered, frightened.

"It's just a name, Ron!" Bryt snapped, "Anyway, Bane was furious with Firenze for savin' me and Harry. Said somethin' about interferin' with the planets' prediction or somethin'. It must say somethin' about Voldemort comin' back. I bet the stars said we were supposed to die out there in the woods."

"_Will you stop staying that name_!" Ron hissed.

"So all I've got to wait for now is Snape to steal the Stone," Harry continued, "Then Voldemort will be able to come and finish me off...Well, I suppose Bane'll be happy."

"Harry," Hermione spoke up, looking frightened, "Everyone says Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was ever afraid of. With Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who won't touch you. Anyway, who says centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says that's a very imprecise branch of magic."

Harry seemed to take the words in comfort and looked out the window. The sky outside was becoming lighter so the four decided to get at least a few hours of sleep and headed up to their rooms. Hermione and Bryt quietly changed into their pajamas before crawling into their beds. Bryt pulled out her diary and recorded everything that had happened that night before trying to get some sleep. She didn't have any luck, though. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the broken body of the dead unicorn...Voldemort bent over it, drinking its blood...Voldemort rushing towards her and Harry...

Finally giving up on sleep, Bryt threw her blankets off of her and sat up. She looked over towards Hermione's bed, seeing Hermione was asleep. Deciding not to wake up her friend, Bryt grabbed one of her Lockhart books and tried to read in the pale morning light, wanting to do anything to get her mind off of what had happened in the forest.


	18. Decision Made

Upcoming exams became a welcome distraction for Bryt, her attention completely absorbed into her classwork so she rarely thought about the night in the forest.

The classrooms themselves were becoming hot, which Bryt was usually used to because of summers in Charleston, but her black school robes made her uncomfortable in the heat. It made it hard to concentrate and trying to remember all she had learned.

Their final exam was in History of Magic, where they had an hour of questions. Bryt fought hard to keep herself awake during the exam and knew she had to have dozed off at least twice, but she somehow made it through, cheering with the rest when Professor Binns told them to put down their quills and roll up their parchment.

"That was easier than I thought," Hermione said happily when the four headed outside onto Hogwarts grounds, "I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager."

"And I proudly have no clue what yer talkin' about," Bryt laughed as she plopped onto the ground under a tree by the lake, leaning against the tree trunk. Ron stretched out near her and Harry and Hermione sat down as they looked over to the Weasley twins with Lee, tickling the tentacles of the giant squid that was in the warm shallows of the lake.

"No more studying," Ron sighed happily.

"Nothin' could be better!" Bryt agreed, folding her hands behind her head as she noticed Harry had a worried expression on his face and was rubbing his forehead, "Hey, cheer up, Harry. We got a week before we learn how miserably we flunked."

"I wish I knew what this _means_!" Harry snapped, and Bryt was confused until he continued, "My scar keeps hurting—it's happened before, but never as often as this."

"Go to Madam Pomfrey," Hermione said.

"I'm not ill. I think it's a warning...it means danger's coming..."

"Harry, relax," Ron said lazily, "Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not going to try again in a hurry. Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down, and if Bryt can't figure out how to get past that cerberus without help, no one's going to."

Bryt opened her mouth to say she did know a way someone might be able to get past one, but Harry had spoken up before she could.

"I just can't shake the feeling I've forgotten something."

"That's just the exams," Hermione said, "I woke up last night and was halfway through my Transfiguration notes before I remembered we'd done that one."

"Yeah, when you woke me up and I fussed at you to go to sleep," Bryt said, looking over at her friend.

"No, you threw your book at me and practically shouted that I needed to go back to bed," Hermione replied, "I'm surprised you didn't wake up Lavender and Parvati."

"I'm surprised _you_ didn' wake 'em up with all that noise you made goin' through yer notes and rambling on about Transfiguration," Bryt shot back, smirking playfully at Hermione.

Hermione was about to reply, but Harry had jumped to his feet suddenly, his face white.

"What's wrong?" Bryt asked, blinking up at Harry.

"I just thought of something," Harry said, "We've got to go see Hagrid, now."

Harry took off across the grounds and Bryt exchanged a look with Hermione and Ron before following.

"Why?" Hermione had asked as they caught up to Harry.

"Don't you think it's a bit odd that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket?" Harry asked as they scrambled up a slope and across the grounds, "How many people wander around with dragon eggs if they're against wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?"

"What're you talkin' about?" Bryt asked at the same time as Ron, though Harry didn't answer.

They didn't stop until they reached Hagrid's hut where they found the gamekeeper shelling peas into a huge bowl outside the hut.

"Hullo," Hagrid smiled, seeing the four, "Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?"

"Yes, please," Ron said.

"No, we're in a hurry, Hagrid," Harry cut in, "I've got to ask you something. You know that night you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?"

Bryt looked over at Harry, suddenly realizing what he was thinking. He really thought it was either Snape of Voldemort that gave Hagrid the dragon egg?

"Dunno," Hagrid said, "He wouldn' take his cloak off."

The four raised their eyebrows at Hagrid, stunned.

"It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head—that's the pub down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."

"What didya talk about?" Bryt asked.

"Did you mention Hogwarts?" Harry added.

"Mighta come up," Hagrid frowned as he tried to remember that night, "Yeah...he asked what I did an' I told him I was gamekeeper here...He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I took after...so I told him...an' I said I'd always really wanted a dragon...an' then...I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks...Let's see...yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted...but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn' want it ter go ter any old home...So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy..."

"And did he—did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Harry asked.

"Well—yeah—how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep—" Hagrid cut himself off, looking horrified, "I shouldn'ta told yeh that! Forget I said it! Hey—where're yeh goin'?"

Bryt, Ron, Harry, and Hermione were already making their way back to the castle, not saying a word until they stopped inside the cool, dark entrance hall. Bryt's mind was racing with what they had just figured out and she knew it was only a matter of time now before Snape went after the Stone.

"We've got to go to Dumbledore," Harry said, "Hagrid told that stranger how to get past Fluffy, and it was either Snape or Voldemort under that cloak—it must've been easy once he'd got Hagrid drunk. I just hope Dumbledore believes us. Firenze might back us up if Bane doesn't stop him. Where's Dumbledore's office?"

Bryt shrugged, looking around. None of the four had any idea as to were Dumbledore's office might be, they've never had to go there before. Hogwarts was a huge castle, there was no telling how long it'd take to search the entire place, but they had to start somewhere.

"Maybe we should jus' start loo—"

"What are you four doing inside?" a voice cut Bryt off and the four turned to see McGonagall behind them, carrying a pile of books.

"We want to see Professor Dumbledore," Hermione spoke up, straightening herself up.

"See Professor Dumbledore?" McGonagall echoed, "Why?"

Bryt bit her lower lip, trying to come up with an excuse.

"It's sort of a secret," Harry said, though it was obviously the wrong thing to say. McGonagall's nostrils flared as they often did when she was angered.

"Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," she said in a cold voice, "He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once."

"He's _gone_?" Bryt asked, surprised.

"_Now_?" Harry added frantically.

"Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Potter, he has many demands on his time—"

"But this is really, really important!" Bryt said.

"Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic?"

"Look," Harry spoke up, "Professor—it's about the Sorcerer's Stone—"

Bryt looked over at Harry, but looked back quickly as she heard a noise and realized that McGonagall had dropped the books from her arms in shock as she stared at the four first years.

"How do you know—"

"Professor, I think—I _know_—that Sn—that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. I've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore."

McGonagall looked suspicious. Bryt couldn't blame her as she looked over at her friends. After all, they weren't supposed to know about the Stone, and now they were claiming someone was going to try and steal it.

"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," McGonagall said after a moment, "I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected."

"But Professor—"

"Potter, I know what I'm talking about," McGonagall cut him off as she began picking up her books, "I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine."

McGonagall left and the quartet remained in the entrance hall. Harry turned back to Ron, Bryt, and Hermione.

"It's tonight," he said, "Snape's going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found out everything he needs, and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. He sent that note, I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore turns up."

"What can we—"

"Shh!" Hermione cut Bryt off and she turned with Harry and Ron to see Snape standing behind them with an odd smile.

"Good afternoon," he said smoothly, "You shouldn't be inside on a day like this."

"We were—" Harry started.

"You want to be more careful," Snape cut in, "Hanging around like this, people will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor really can't afford to lose any more points, can it?"

Bryt went pink and turned away to keep from glaring at their teacher. She didn't want to give him an excuse to start knocking off points right there. She turned with her friends to head off, but it seemed Snape wasn't finished.

"Be warned, Potter—any more nighttime wanderings and I will personally make sure you are expelled. Good day to you."

Snape left for the staffroom and the four friends stopped on the steps, Harry turning to the other three.

"Right, here's what we've got to do," he whispered, "One of us has got to keep an eye on Snape—wait outside the staff room and follow him if he leaves it. Hermione, you'd better do that."

"Why me?"

"You can say yer worried about yer exam results," Bryt said, "Yer the only one they'll believe."

"And we'd better stay outside the third-floor corridor," Harry continued to Bryt and Ron, "Let's go."

Bryt nodded and followed Ron and Harry as Hermione headed off. Their plan hit a snag, though, because as soon as they reached the corridor, they were met by McGonagall.

"I suppose you think you're harder to get past than a pack of enchantments!" their head of house yelled, "Enough of this nonsense! If I hear you've come anywhere near here again, I'll take another fifty points from Gryffindor! Yes, Weasley, from my own house!"

The three hurried back to the common room and sat in a corner near the fireplace. Bryt sighed as she sank into a chair, slouching back slightly.

"At least 'mione's tailin' Snape," she said hopefully.

The second the words left her mouth, though, Hermione came bustling into the common room and she hurried over to her friends.

"I'm sorry, Harry!" she said, "Snape came out and asked me what I was doing, so I said I was waiting for Flitwick, and Snape went to get him, and I've only just got away, I don't know where Snape went."

"Well, that's it then, isn't it?" Harry said.

Bryt blinked at her friend. There was something about the glint in his eye that unnerved her.

"I'm going out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get the Stone first."

Bryt's eyes widened and she opened her mouth to say something, but nothing would come.

"You're mad!" Ron voiced exactly what was going through Bryt's mind at the moment.

"You can't! Hermione exclaimed, "After what McGonagall and Snape have said? You'll be expelled!"

"SO WHAT?" Harry yelled and Bryt flinched back slightly, "Don't you understand? If Snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was like when was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to be expelled from! He'll flatten it, or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts! Losing points doesn't matter anymore, can't you see? D'you think he'll leave you and your families alone if Gryffindor wins the house cup? If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, well, I'll have to go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort to find me there, it's only dying a bit later than I would have, because I'm never going over to the Dark Side! I'm going through that trapdoor tonight and nothing you three say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents, remember?"

Bryt kept eye contact with Harry's glare, taking in every word of what he said. She knew he was right, they had to do something. If they didn't, Voldemort would come back and no one would be safe. Bryt thought about her parents and brothers, about how they could get hurt, or even killed, if Voldemort did come back. She sunk back in her chair more, trying to ignore the sicked feeling that just rose into her stomach.

"You're right, Harry," Hermione whispered, pulling Bryt from her thoughts.

"I'll use the invisibility cloak," Harry said, "It's just lucky I got it back."

"But will it cover all four of us?" Ron asked.

"If we all scrunch together, I bet it will," Bryt said simply, straightening up in her chair.

"All—all four of us?" Harry asked in shock.

"D'yah really think we're lettin' you go alone?" Bryt crossed her arms over her chest and raising an eyebrow, "You really expect to get through those enchantments without help?"

"I'd better go and look through my books," Hermione said, "There might be something useful..."

"But if we get caught, you three will be expelled, too."

"Not if I can help it," Hermione spoke up, "Flitwick told me in secret that I got a hundred and twelve percent on his exam. They're not throwing me out after that."

With the plan made, the four began their preparing. After dinner, they were sitting in the common room apart from everyone else. No one bothered them, as usual, and it was fine for them for once. Hermione was skimming through her notes in an attempt to find one of the enchantments they would face. Bryt was going over everything she knew about potions and magical creatures, muttering the information over and over under her breath. Ron and Harry were both quiet.

It was some time before the common room was finally empty and Ron turned to Harry.

"Better get the cloak," he muttered.

Harry nodded and hurried up the stairs as Bryt stood, stretching. When Harry returned, he had the cloak and the wooden flute that Hagrid had given him for Christmas. Bryt took that from him.

"We'd better put the cloak on here, just to be sure it covers us," Harry said, "If Filch spots one of our feet wondering along on it's own—"

"What are you doing?"

The four spun around to see Neville had still been in the common room, clutching to Trever.

"Nothin', Neville," Bryt said as Harry shoved the cloak behind his back, "Go to bed."

"You're going out again," Neville said, watching the quartet.

"No, no, no," Hermione said, "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?"

"You can't go out. You'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble."

"You don't understand," Harry said, "This is important."

Neville hurried over and blocked the porthole. Despite the situation, Bryt couldn't help but be impressed with Neville at the moment.

"I won't let you do it," he said, "I'll—I'll fight you!"

"_Neville_," Ron snapped, "Get away from that hold and don't be an idiot—"

"Don't you call me an idiot! I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!"

"Yes, but not to _us_," Ron groaned, "Neville, you don't know what you're doing."

Ron moved forward and Neville dropped Trever, raising his fists. Bryt grabbed Ron to hold him back, not wanting a fight to start over this. They didn't have time for it.

"Go on, then, try and hit me!" Neville said, "I'm ready!"

"Hermione, do somethin'!' Bryt said.

"Neville," Hermione stepped forward, raising her wand, "I'm really, really sorry about this. _Petrificus Totalus_!"

Neville's arms went straight to his sides and his legs seemed to lock together as he fell forward on his face. Bryt rushed over, pushing the boy onto his back and looking at his horror-stricken face.

"What did you do to him?" Harry asked.

"It's the full Body-Bind," Hermione whispered, "Oh, Neville, I'm so sorry."

"We had to, Neville," Harry said, "No time to explain."

"We'll tell yah later," Bryt promised as she hurried to her friends and they huddled together under the cloak.

Bryt felt miserable about what they did to Neville the entire time they moved towards the third-floor corridor. She tried to keep it out of her mind, focusing instead on what lay ahead of them. She was also nervous, any movement made her positive it would be Filch or Peeves, and she had stepped on Ron's foot by accident three times. The trip was quiet and long and Bryt was struggling to keep her mouth shut, knowing now was the worst time for her to begin one of her rambles. After what seemed like forever for Bryt, they were finally on the staircase to the third floor where they were stopped by Peeves, who was loosening the carpet to make people trip.

_'Now what?'_ Bryt thought, trying to think of any way they could get past the poltergeist without being caught.

"Who's there?" Peeves suddenly looked around, "Know you're there, even if I can't see you. Are you ghoulie or ghostie or wee student beastie?"

Bryt's breath caught in her throat. They were going to get caught, she just knew it. Peeves was about to catch them and they were going to get expelled before they even had a chance to save the Stone.

"Should call Filch, I should, if something's a-creeping around unseen."

_'We gotta do somethin'...'_ Bryt thought.

"Peeves," Harry suddenly spoke in a hoarse whisper that made Bryt jump and nearly lose footing on the stairs. Luckily, Hermione caught her and kept her under the cloak, "The Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible."

Peeves, in shock, nearly dropped from the air.

"So sorry, your bloodiness, Mr. Baron, sir," he said, "My mistake, my mistake—I didn't see you—of course I didn't you're invisible—forgive old Peevsie his little joke, sir."

"I have business here, Peeves," Harry continued, "Stay away from this place tonight."

"I will, sir, I most certainly will," Peeves said, "Hope your business goes well, Baron, I'll not bother you."

And the poltergeist was gone. Bryt started grinning and she couldn't believe that plan had actually worked.

"_Brilliant_, Harry!" Ron whispered. Bryt couldn't agree more.

With the path clear now, they were off again. They quickly reaching the corridor door, which was opened slightly.

"Snape's here already," Bryt said as Harry turned to them.

"If you want to go back, I won't blame you," he said, "You can take the cloak, I won't need it now."

"We said we're comin' and we're gonna," Bryt said stubbornly. Ron and Hermione both nodded in agreement.

Harry looked between his three friends for another minute before finally turning. The four headed inside where they were greeted by the low growling of Fluffy's three heads as he sniffed towards them, even though they were under the cloak. Bryt gripped her hands tightly around Harry's flute and tried not to look at Fluffy. She was sure that she would freeze up if she did, and she didn't want to think about what would happen afterward.

"What's that at its feet?" Hermione asked in a whisper. Bryt followed Hermione's gaze to the object near one of Fluffy's giant paws.

"Looks like a harp," Ron answered, "Snape must have left it there."

"It must wake up the moment you stop playing," Harry said, looking at Bryt, "You have the flute?"

Bryt nodded and lifted the wooden instrument to her lips and began playing random notes, only taking short, sharp breaths when she needed. It took some time, but Fluffy slowly lowered to the ground, fast asleep.

"Keep playing," Ron said as the four hurried out from under the cloak and towards the trap door. Bryt shivered as she felt Fluffy's hot breaths on them.

"I think we'll be able to pull the door open," Ron said as he looked over the dog's back, "Want to go first, Hermione?"

"No, I don't!"

"All right," Ron grumbled as he made his way carefully over the dog's legs and Ron pulled open the door.

"What can you see?" Hermione asked.

"Nothing—just black—there's no way of climbing down, we'll just have to jump."

"I'll go first," Harry said.

"Are you sure?" Ron asked, "I don't know how deep this thing goes."

"I'm sure," Harry said, climbing over and looking through the trap door. Bryt and Hermione followed, Bryt having trouble since she was still playing the flute. She was also beginning to grow light-headed, though she knew she had to keep playing, knowing what would happen if she stopped.

Harry climbed into the hole and lowered himself until he was hanging by his hands.

"If anything happens to me, don't follow. Go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, right?"

"Right," Ron replied.

"See you in a minute, I hope."

Harry let go and disappeared into the darkness below. It was a few moments before he called up.

"It's okay!" he said, "It's a soft landing, you can jump!"

Ron looked at the others before jumping down instantly. After a moment, Harry called up again.

"Come on, Hermione! Bryt!"

Hermione looked nervously into the hole before back to Bryt.

"Together?" she asked.

Bryt nodded and stopped playing the flute.

"Together," she said, grabbing Hermione's hand and the two jumped in at once, Fluffy suddenly barking right behind them.


	19. Through the Obstacles

Bryt felt her robes rustling around her body and her hair lift above her head as the cold air rushed passed her and Hermione. She felt as if they were falling forever before they suddenly landed with a quiet thump into something soft. Bryt blinked as her eyes adjusted to the darkness and she noticed Ron and Harry next to her and Hermione.

"We must be miles under the school," Hermione said.

"Yeah, lucky we had the soft landin'," Bryt said.

"_Lucky_!" Hermione suddenly shrieked, looking at Ron and Harry. "Look at you two guys!"

Bryt felt someone grab her arm and yank her to her feet, then backwards several feet. Once she regained balanced, she noticed Hermione was the one who dragged her off and dark tentacles were wrapping around Harry and Ron. Bryt's eyes widened as her two friends started struggling against the tentacles.

"Stop moving you two!" Hermione called to the guys, "I know what this is—it's Devil's Snare!"

"Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help!" Ron called.

"We gotta do somethin'!" Bryt said, "Think, Hermione, how do you kill that thing?"

"Hold on!" Hermione exclaimed, bouncing on the spot, "Devil's Snare..."

"Hurry up I can't breathe!" Harry gasped as plant seemed to be squeezing tighter around his chest.

"Hurry, hurry," Bryt urged, jumping up and down, staring in fear at her friends struggling. She wanted to do something, anything...It was taking all she had to keep from stupidly running back into the Devil's Snare to try and free her friends.

"Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare...what did Professor Sprout say?—it like the dark and the damp—"

"A fire!" Bryt exclaimed, "Hermione, use that fire spell!"

"Yes—of course!" Hermione exclaimed as she yanked out her wand and sent off a set of blue flames.

Slowly, the plant released Ron and Harry, slithering away from the warm flames. Bryt rushed over, helping her friends up before hugging them both.

"Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione," Harry said as he, Ron, and Bryt made their way to the far wall.

"Yeah," Ron added, "We owe you."

"This way," Harry spoke up, heading down the only passageway open.

Glad that they were all safe for now, Bryt followed her friends down the passageway, which sloped downward. The slope was also slightly slippery and Bryt had trouble keeping her footing, often having to suddenly grab onto one of her friends to keep from falling down the path.

"Can you hear something?" Ron suddenly whispered as they neared the end of the sloped corridor.

Bryt blinked and cocked her head, hearing a rustling noise. It sounded a little like leaves rustling in wind, but there was also what sounded like clicking metal.

"What _is_ that?" Bryt asked.

"I don't know..." Hermione replied, "It sounds like wings."

"There's a light ahead—I can see something moving."

They hurried to the end of the passageway that opened into a brightly lit chamber with a high arched ceiling that was filled with what looked like jeweled birds. Bryt turned from the ceiling to look at the large wooden door on the opposite side of the room.

"Maybe those birds'll attack if we cross the room..." Bryt said quietly.

"Probably," Harry said, "They don't look very vicious, but I suppose if they all swooped down at once...well, there's no other choice...I'll run."

Harry covered his face with a deep breath and bolted across the room. Bryt anxiously expected the jeweled birds above to dive down and attack, but none did. Bryt gave a huge sigh of relief when Harry was safely on the other side.

Bryt exchanged a look with Hermione and Ron before taking off across the room themselves and trying for the door. All three of them also made it unharmed and Harry yanked at the door's handle. It was locked and wouldn't budge, not even when Hermione used Alohomora.

"Now what?" Ron groaned.

"These birds...they can't be here for just decoration," Hermione said slowly, looking back to the ceiling.

"They're not birds!" Harry suddenly exclaimed, "They're _keys_! Winged keys—look carefully. So that must mean..."

Bryt, however, hadn't been looking at the keys. She had been looking around the room to where she suddenly noticed several brooms leaning against the wall.

"Hey, there's broomsticks!" Bryt said, pointing them out, wondering why she hadn't noticed them before, "Maybe we gotta catch one of the keys? Like the Snitch in Quidditch."

"But there are _hundreds_ of keys!" Hermione exclaimed, "How do we know which one goes to the door?"

"We're looking for a big, old-fashioned one," Ron said, studying the door, "Probably silver, like the handle."

The four grabbed a broom and took off into the air. Bryt was relieved to find this broom, though it looked old, didn't veer to the side like the one she had during her first flying experience. She started looking around for any sign of the key, but she couldn't see anything but a sea of rainbow-wings fluttering noisily around them. She doubted she'd even know which key was right if she managed to see it. They all looked mostly the same to her.

"That one!" Harry called and Bryt looked up where he was pointing, "That big one—there—no, there—with the bright blue wings—the feathers are crumpled on one side."

Sure enough, above them was a large, old-looking key that was flying awkwardly with a bent wing. Ron shot past Bryt after the key, but it had dodged and Ron rammed into the ceiling, nearly falling off his broom.

"You okay?!" Bryt called when Ron regained himself.

"Yeah, fine," Ron called back.

"We've got to close in on it!" Harry caught Bryt's attention, "Ron, you come at it from above—Hermione, stay below and stop it from going down—Bryt, keep to the side to help drive it to the wall. I'll try and catch it. Right, NOW!"

Bryt shot for the key while Ron went into a dive and Hermione shot higher into the air. It dodged them all and went for the wall as Harry predicted and Harry went for it, pinning it to the wall with a crunching noise that made Bryt wince. The four, then, dove for the ground and dismounted while Harry shoved the key into the keyhole and unlocked the door before releasing the key.

"Ready?" Harry looked over and the others nodded. Harry pushed the door open to a pitch-black room.

Bryt squinted in an attempt to see what was inside as the four stepped in. The second they did, light flooded the room and Bryt let out a gasp. They had just stepped onto the edge of a giant chessboard. In front of them were the two row of black chess pieces that towered over them like stone statues and across from them were the white, which had no faces and sent a chilling shiver down Bryt's back. They reminded Bryt a little of ghosts, and she, even after her year at Hogwarts, still wasn't fond of ghosts. She looked past the chess pieces to the door on the other side of the room.

"Wh-what now?" Bryt asked weakly.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Ron asked, "We've got to play our way across the room."

"How?" Hermione asked. She sounded as nervous as Bryt felt.

"M-maybe we take the place of some of the pieces?" Bryt replied weakly, looking around the chess board. She had never liked playing chess, even though Julio had tried to teach her once. Now, she was regretting never trying to get into the game.

Ron had walked over to a knight's horse and touched it lightly. It immediately began moving, pawing at the ground as the knight looked down to Ron.

"Do we—er—have to join you to get across?"

When the knight nodded, Ron turned back to the others.

"Bryt's right, we'll have to take the place of some of the pieces," he said, "Now, don't be offended or anything, but none of you are good at chess—"

"Considerin' I don' even _like_ chess," Bryt managed, "No offense takin'."

"Just tell us what to do," Harry added.

"Well, Harry, you take the place of that bishop, Hermione, you go next to him instead of that rook. And Bryt, why don't you take the place of the queen?"

"What about you?" Bryt asked, still studying the giant chessboard in front of them.

"I'm going to be a knight," Ron replied simply.

The pieces Ron had mentioned moved from the chessboard at the sound of their names, leaving the squares free that the four friends immediately took.

"White always plays first in chess," Ron said, staring across the board, "Yes, look..."

Bryt turned and watched a white pawn move forward a couple of squares. The game had begun and Ron began directing the black pieces, which were silently obedient. Bryt kept feeling a wave of nausea wash over her every time she wondered what would happen if they lost. Bryt couldn't tell how the game was going, she never could understand even the basics of chess. All she could do was trust that Ron was keeping them in the lead.

Bryt let out a weak yell and clamped her hands over her mouth when their first piece was taken—the white queen smashed down their second knight and dragged it to the side of the board where it remained motionless and face down.

"Had to let that happen," Ron said slowly, "Leaves you free to take that bishop, Hermione, go on."

The other white pieces were as ruthless as the queen when taking the black pieces. Bryt found herself having trouble getting herself to move whenever Ron directed her and a couple of times and she couldn't stop thinking about if one of the white pieces had to take her or one of her friends. Images of her friends laying on the ground, bleeding severely kept flashing into Bryt's mind and she kept squeezing her eyes shut, trying to ignore them.

"We're nearly there," Ron said after what had seemed like hours, "Let me think—let me think..."

Bryt looked around the board, then got a sick feeling as she noticed the white queen was staring at Ron.

"Yes..." Ron spoke up, "It's the only way...I've got to be taken."

Hermione and Harry both called out, but Bryt couldn't find her voice. She simply stared at Ron with her mouth open, the mental image of him sprawled on the ground coming back...

"That's chess!" Ron snapped, "You've got to make some sacrifices! I take one step forward and she'll take me—that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Harry!"

"But—"

"Do you want to stop Snape or not?"

"Ron—"

"Look, if you don't hurry up, he'll already have the Stone!"

Bryt bit her lower lip hard, looking over to the others. She still wanted to shout out, to say something, but her voice seemed to have vanished. Not that she thought she could talk Ron out of his plan, anyway.

"Ready?" Ron called, pale-faced and determined, "Here I go—now don't hang around once you've won."

Ron took to the square in front of him and the queen struck him across the head, sending him falling to the floor. Bryt and Hermione both let out a scream and it took all Bryt had to keep herself rooted to her square as the white queen dragged Ron off. Bryt couldn't take her eyes off Ron, her heart pounding wildly in her throat and the same thought went through her mind over and over.

_'Don' be dead...Please don' be dead...'_ she silently begged.

"Checkmate," Harry's voice seemed to echo strangely in the room and Bryt forced herself to look over towards him.

The white king threw his crown at Harry's feet and the chessmen parted and bowed, creating a path to the door. Harry and Hermione looked over to Ron, but turned towards the door. Bryt, however, stayed still.

"You guys head on, I'll stay with Ron," Bryt said, looking back at her friends, then seeing their faces, "Don' argue, someone's gotta make sure he's okay."

Harry and Hermione stared for a second, then took off for the door and Bryt bolted across the board towards Ron. She heaved him up and pulled him over to the wall, leaning closer and a wave of relief washed over her when she realized Ron was breathing.

"Ron?" Bryt spoke loudly, patting the side of Ron's face to wake him up, "C'mern, Ron. Wake up."

It took several minutes before Ron finally gave a low groan and open his eyes. Bryt grinned in relief and threw her arms around Ron in a hug.

"Oi! Let go!" Ron shoved her away and Bryt flushed.

"Sorry," she said, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I think so," Ron said, rubbing his head, "Where are—"

"They went on ahead," Bryt cut in, then when Ron looked confused, she grinned, "Someone had to stay behind to make sure yer okay."

"Well, thanks," Ron said slowly.

"We should thank you. That was brave, y'know," Bryt grinned.

"What?"

"Sacrificin' yerself," Bryt said, "That was the bravest thing I've ever seen."

"Yeah, well..." Ron started, grinning at Bryt's complement as he rubbed the back of his head, "It had to be done."

"I would've never been able to do it," Bryt said quietly, "I got really worried when I saw you fall...I thought..."

Bryt trailed off and looked away from Ron and the two fell into an awkward silence. Bryt bit her lower lip as she looked off to where Hermione and Harry had went. She started to wonder how they were doing. Had they managed to get past the past few obstacles? Had they gotten the Stone? What about running into Snape? Would they be able to hold him off?

"Bryt?" Ron started, and Bryt looked over at her friend, "Do you think they're okay?"

"I dunno," Bryt replied, "Maybe we should—"

"Ron, Bryt!"

Bryt turned to see Hermione hurrying to them and the two stumbled to their feet.

"Where's Harry?" they asked at once.

"He went on alone," Hermione panted, "He sent me back. He wants us to take the brooms from the other room and fly out past Fluffy. Then we need to get to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore."

Bryt nodded and stood up. She helped Ron to his feet, but he stubbornly insisted he could walk on his own so the three headed off into the next room, each grabbing a broom and taking off up the slopping passageway to where the Devil's Snare had been. They mounted the brooms and kicked off, flying one-by-one through the trap door and by Fluffy, right into the hallway. Bryt forgot to stop and hit the hallway wall, falling to the floor with a thud.

"Note to self, I need to learn to stop," Bryt groaned, rolling over and pushing herself up, wincing as pain rushed through her left wrist.

"Bryt! Are you okay?" Hermione was next to Bryt and reached down, helping her to her feet. Bryt looked over and noticed Ron was closing the door and shutting Fluffy back inside.

"Yeah, I think it's jus' a sprain," Bryt said, cradling her injured hand, "Let's get goin'."

Not wanting to argue with her friends over a sprained wrist when Harry was still in trouble, Bryt started off down the hall and she soon heard Hermione and Ron behind her. During their entire run, Bryt couldn't help but think of how stupid it was that she had gone so far down through the chamber without being hurt just to sprain her wrist because she forgot to stop her broom.

The three continued to run in silence until they had reached the entrance hall where they were met by a welcome surprise. Dumbledore was already there. They stopped, breathless, about to explain everything, but Dumbledore spoke up first.

"Harry's gone after him, hasn't he?" was all Dumbledore said before heading off for the third floor.

Bryt looked over at Hermione and Ron with a confused look.

"How'd he know?" Bryt asked the question on all three of their minds.

"I don't know, but you should get Madam Pomfry to look at your wrist," Hermione replied.

"Later," Bryt said, "It's jus' a sprain, anyway. I wanna make sure Harry's okay."

"After all that fuss you made about me not wanting to go to the Hospital Wing, you're not going now?" Ron asked.

"_I_ wasn' bit by a dragon with poisonous fangs," Bryt shot back.

"Let's just go to the Hospital Wing anyway," Hermione said when Ron opened his mouth to say something else, "I'm sure Dumbledore will bring Harry there, even if he's not injured. We can meet him there."

Bryt nodded, getting a sick feeling again when she suddenly thought of Harry alone down in the chamber and she couldn't help but wonder what would happen to him. Trying to assure herself that Harry would be okay, Bryt headed off for the Hospital Wing with Ron and Hermione.


	20. Summer Begins

Madam Pomfrey hadn't been at all pleased about being woken up in the middle of the night, especially by three first years who only wanted to fix a sprained wrist. Well, two of them did. Bryt was still loudly insisting that it was only a sprain and since exams were over, she didn't need it healed. Her hand would be fine in a few days, or maybe a week.

After Bryt refused for a third time to let Madam Pomfrey heal her hand, the school nurse told them to leave, despite their pleas to wait for Dumbledore to return with Harry. She insisted that, if Harry was fine, he would be sent back to the common room as well.

"You should have let her heal your hand," Ron grumbled as the three headed up a staircase towards the Gryffindor common room.

"She jus' would have chased us off afterwards anyway," Bryt shot back, looking down at the bandage wrappings around her wrist, which was the most she would let anyone do, "Besides, we can jus' wait fer Harry in the common room. He'll be there soon enough."

Once the three got to the common room, they sat in the chairs by the fire to wait for Harry. They say in silence and Bryt must have fallen asleep because the next thing she knew, Hermione was shaking her side and the common room was filled with bright sunlight and the buzz of students coming down to head to breakfast.

"Why'd you let me fall asleep?" Bryt groaned, rubbing the back of her neck with her uninjured hand. She had fallen asleep in an armchair before, so she knew her back was going to be sore most all day.

"Because I feel asleep, too," Hermione replied.

"Me too," Ron said, "I don't think Harry showed up last night."

Bryt swallowed, trying to keep herself from thinking about the worst.

"D'you think he's still at the hospital wing?" she asked, actually praying that Harry had somehow been badly injured, telling herself it would be better than if Harry was actually dead.

"Maybe," Hermione said, "We can go see after breakfast."

Bryt nodded, standing up and stretching. She had wanted to go see Harry right away, but she also knew that she needed to eat. Besides, if Harry was at the hospital wing, he probably wasn't even awake yet.

When they got to the Great Hall, they were surprised to see Snape still sitting at the staff table. Even more surprising was that Quirrell was the one missing. Bryt, Hermione, and Ron exchanged shocked looks, then hurried over to the Gryffindor table and sat down.

"It was Professor Quirrell?" Bryt whispered, leaning closer to her friends, "_He_ was the one after the Stone?"

"He could just be sick today," Hermione stated, but the tone of her voice showed she didn't believe it herself.

"No one else is missin'," Bryt replied as Dumbledore stood up and called for the students to be quiet.

"Due to an unfortunate, unseen event," Dumbledore began, "Professor Quirrell will be unable to join us as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher next year."

"That proves it," Ron said, "It was Quirrell. What _happened_ down there?"

Ron wasn't the only one who wanted to know. Word had gotten out (most likely through Neville) that Harry, Ron, Bryt, and Hermione had sneaked out of the common room the night before. With Harry now in the hospital wing, most students put two-and-two together and were now asking Bryt, Hermione, and Ron what had happened. Hermione and Bryt were reluctant to share the story, but Ron was very eager, telling anyone who would listen about the Devil's Snare, flying keys, and giant chessboard.

The other students seemed to take it on themselves to create the story of Harry's encounter with Quirrell. Each story was far more unbelievable than the last, and there were so many, Bryt had lost count. No one could ask Harry, though, because he was unconscious in the hospital wing and Madam Pomfrey was refusing to allow anyone in to visit.

There was one final Quidditch match of the school year and Bryt, Ron, and Hermione used it as a chance to preoccupy them for a few hours. Without Harry on the team, though, Gryffindor lost miserably to Ravenclaw.

The day before the end of year feast, the house points were totaled in with Slytherin the winner and Gryffindor in last place. Bryt hated it, but was glad she was no longer hated by other students. Besides, Bryt had something else to occupy her. Harry was finally awake and she, Ron, and Hermione had rushed to the hospital wing to visit. Madam Pomfrey was being strict, though, and wouldn't let them in.

The three were outside the door, hearing Madam Pomfrey and Harry inside, though they couldn't make out what was being said. After a short time, though, the nurse finally let the three in, though she didn't look happy about it. They rushed over to their friend and Bryt resisted the urge to hug Harry.

"Oh, Harry," Hermione said, "We were sure you were going to—Dumbledore was so worried—"

"The whole school's talking about it," Ron said.

"Yeah, so what really happened?" Bryt had sat down on the edge the bed.

"Well," Harry started, "When I got into the room, I found Quirrell standing at the Mirror of Erised. He was trying to get the Stone for Voldemort, but couldn't find where it was. Quirrell was behind everything. He had been jinxing my broom during the first match—Snape was using a countercurse. He had let the troll in during Halloween to try and distract everyone. Snape had been suspecting Quirrell and was trying to stop him all along."

"What about with Voldemort?" Bryt asked, ignoring Ron's wince at the name.

"I'm getting to it," Harry said, "Quirrell kept trying to find the Stone, he thought it was in the mirror and I thought if I looked in, wanting to find the Stone before Quirrell, the mirror would show me where it was. I was tied by the ropes, so it was hard to move, but I tried anyway and fell. Then Quirrell started asking for help and I heard someone tell him to use me, but the voice sounded like it was coming from Quirrell."

"That's creepy," Bryt whispered, her eyes wide. So far, Harry's account for what happened was far more interesting than what students had been saying.

"Quirrell released me from the ropes then," Harry continued, "And told me to look in the mirror and tell him what I saw. I decided right then I was going to lie as I went to the mirror. I expected to see where the Stone was hidden, but I just saw myself. Then my reflection suddenly smiled and pulled the Stone from its pocket, winked at me, and returned it. As it did, I felt something in my pocket. I had gotten the Stone."

"How?" Bryt asked. She seemed to be interrupting Harry a lot, while Hermione and Ron were just quiet, occasionally gasping.

"Dumbledore said only someone who wanted to find the Stone, but not use it, would be able to get it," Harry said, "Anyway, Quirrell was asking me what I saw, so I told him that I just saw myself winning us the house cup and shaking Dumbledore's hand. I tried to get away then, but that voice game back, saying I was lying. That it wanted to speak to me itself. Quirrell tried to protest, but suddenly he reached up and removed his turban and turned around. Instead of the back of his head, I was staring at _Voldemort's face_."

Bryt threw her hands over her mouth in a gasp while Hermione practically screamed. Bryt shivered, getting an image of a face on the back of someone's head. It wasn't something she'd want to see.

"That's how I felt," Harry said, "He knew I had the Stone in my pocket. I finally could get myself to move, but I only seemed to stumble back. Voldemort wanted me to give in, to join him. I wouldn't and he kept trying to get me to give him the Stone. He finally had Quirrell try and grab me, but whenever he did, Quirrell would get these blisters on his hands. He couldn't bare touching me, and when I realized that, I grabbed onto him, trying to keep hold as long as I could. My scar was pounding with so much pain, I couldn't see, but I was keeping my grip on Quirrell as much as I could. At one point, I felt myself yanked away from Quirrell, I was passing out, and I thought I was dead, but the next thing I knew, I was here in the hospital wing with Dumbledore. He told me he had been the one who pulled me from Quirrell and that he had talked with Flamel and decided to destroy the Stone."

Bryt, Hermione, and Ron were silent, staring at Harry. Bryt's mouth was now hanging open and she was staring at Harry with wide eyes. It was some time before any of them spoke, and it was Ron.

"So the Stone's gone?" he asked, "Flamel's just going to _die_?"

"That's what I said, but Dumbledore thinks that—what was it?—'to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure'."

"I always said he was off his rocker," Ron said with an impressed expression. Bryt laughed.

"What about you three?" Harry asked.

Bryt quickly told Harry of what had happened after he and Hermione left her and Ron. Bryt ended with them meeting Dumbledore in the Entrance Hall.

"D'you think he meant you to do it?" Ron asked, "Sending you your father's cloak and everything?"

"_Well_," Hermione said annoyed, "If he did—I mean to say—that's terrible—you could have been killed."

"No, it isn't," Harry said, "He's a funny man, Dumbledore. I think he sort of wanted to give me a chance. I think he knows more or less everything that goes on here, you know. I reckon he had a pretty good idea we were going to try, and instead of stopping us, he just taught us enough to help. I don't think it was an accident he let me find out how the mirror worked. It's almost like he thought I had the right to face Voldemort if I could..."

"Our headmaster's loony," Bryt laughed, "Anyway, you missed the last Quidditch match, Ravenclaw creamed us without you. And the house points are in. We ended up in last place and Slytherin won, but the end-of-year feast is tomorrow—you gotta come."

"You've had nearly fifteen minutes!" Madam Pomfrey suddenly rushed over, "Now OUT!"

Bryt, Ron, and Hermione scrambled to their feet and left quickly to avoid the nurse's yelling. They decided to head back to the common room where they continued to talk for the rest of the day until they were all about to fall asleep in their chairs and they headed up to their beds.

The next day was warm and busy. Bryt had decided to get a head-start on her packing. She had kept her camera out, though, and got Lavender to take a picture of her and Hermione together.

Time for the feast came and Bryt headed on with Hermione and Ron, finding seats at the table, Hermione and Bryt sitting across from Ron. The room was filled with silver and green Slytherin banners and a banner with the Slytherin serpent went the length of the wall being the High Table.

Bryt had been in the middle of a conversation with Ron and Hermione when everyone around them suddenly went quiet. Looking around, Bryt noticed that Harry had come in. Suddenly, noise filled the Great Hall as everyone began talking at once. Harry made his way over and sat next to Ron as people began moving around to get a look at him.

Luckily, Dumbledore arrived then and the Great Hall fell silent again.

"Another year gone!" Dumbledore said happily, "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink out teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were...you have the whole summer to get them nice and empty before next year starts..."

Bryt let out a giggle and Ron and Harry gave her a strange look.

"Now, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with two hundred and sixty two; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy-two."

The Slytherins burst into cheers and stomps. Malfoy was banging his goblet to the table. Bryt groaned, hiding her face in her arms.

"Yes, yes, well done, Slytherin," Dumbledore said, "However, recent events must be taken into account."

Everything fell silent and Bryt lifted her head, staring at their headmaster in shock.

"Ahem...I have a few last-minute points to dish out," Dumbledore began, "Yes...

"First—to Mr. Ronald Weasley..."

Ron's face went purple and Bryt couldn't help but giggle at the sight.

"...for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

The cheering was loud and Bryt beamed brightly at Ron. She heard Percy nearby bragging to the other prefects that it was his brother who beat McGonagall's giant chess set. It was some time before silence fell again.

"Second—to Miss Bryttanie Watkins...for knowing when a friend is in need and staying by him, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

Bryt felt her face grow hot as the cheering rose again. Excitement was building up in Bryt now. Gryffindor was now up one hundred points. They had just passed Hufflepuff.

"Third—to Miss Hermione Granger...for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

Hermione's face disappeared into her arms as Bryt laughed, hugging her friend, hearing her friend sob happily. Gryffindors all along the table were cheering.

"Fourth—to Mr. Harry Potter..." Dumbledore brought the room to a dead-silence, "...for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."

Cheering erupted louder than ever. Bryt's throat and hands were sore from screaming and clapping, and her sprained wrist was beginning to throb slightly, but Bryt didn't care. They had just tied with Slytherin for first place. If only they had gotten one more point...Dumbledore rose his hand and the room fell silent again.

"There are all kinds of courage," the headmaster smiled, "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."

Bryt was on her feet, jumping up and down as the Gryffindors exploded into a deafening cheer. People began burying Neville in hugs. The boy who had never won a point all year had just won Gryffindor the house cup. Bryt looked over and noticed Malfoy looked as horrified as he had in the Forbidden Forest when she had punched him.

"Which means," Dumbledore called over the cheering now that Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff had joined in, "We need a little change in decoration."

With a clap of his hands, the green and silver banners became scarlet and gold, and the serpent became a Gryffindor lion. After that, the feast tasted better than anything Bryt had ever had in her life. It seemed the perfect end to her first year at Hogwarts—her first year as a witch. And she knew she was ready for next year, another normal year—normal for Hogwarts, anyway.

**xxxxx**

When exam results came, Bryt was overjoyed that she had passed everything, but by far her best grade was in Potions. It even rivaled Hermione's, who had the best grades of all the first years. Bryt grinned when she found Ron and Harry had passed all their classes as well.

Soon, it was time to leave and students were packed and given warnings that they could not use magic over the holidays. Conversations echoed all around as the students were taken to the Hogwarts Express and boarded for their journey home. Though Bryt was sad to leave Hogwarts, she was ready to be back with her parents and her brothers—and looking forward to the chance to visit Sofí and Julio over the summer.

As the sky became dark, the Hogwarts Express came to a stop at King's Cross Station. There were wizard guards at the barrier, only allowing groups of two or three students through at a time to avoid suspicion from Muggles.

"You must come and stay this summer," Ron grinned, "All three of you—I'll send you an owl."

"Thanks," Harry said, "I need something to look forward to."

"Then I'll write you all the time," Bryt grinned, "Except when I go to Charleston for a week for Sofí's birthday."

"Bye, Harry!" a student called nearby, then another called "See you, Potter!"

"Still famous," Ron grinned at Harry.

"Not where I'm going, I promise you."

Harry and Ron went through the barrier first, followed by Bryt and Hermione.

"There he is, Mom, there he is, look!"

Bryt looked over to see a short red-haired woman with a small red-haired girl. The blonde took a guess that they were Ron's mother and sister.

"Harry Potter!" the girl squealed, "Look, Mom! I can see—"

"Be quiet, Ginny, and it's rude to point."

Mrs. Weasley had grinned at the four.

"Busy year?" she asked.

"Very," Harry replied, "Thanks for the fudge and sweater, Mrs. Weasley."

"Oh, it was nothing, dear."

"Ready, are you?"

Bryt turned with the others to see an unpleasant-looking man who was staring furiously at Harry's owl, then to Bryt's, who had just hooted loudly. A woman and a fat boy were nearby, looking as if they were afraid of Harry. Bryt had no trouble guessing that these were the Dursleys and, just from their expressions, she could tell why Harry hated them.

"You must be Harry's family!" Mrs. Weasley said.

"In a matter of speaking," Mr. Dursley growled, "Hurry up, boy, we haven't got all day."

Harry turned to his friends as his uncle walked off.

"See you over the summer, then."

"Hope you have—er—a good holiday," Hermione said slowly, watching Harry's family.

"Oh I will," Harry suddenly grinned, "_They_ don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer..."

Bryt laughed and hugged Harry, then waved as he headed off.

"Bryt, there you are!"

Bryt turned just in time to have both her brothers tackle her in a hug at the same time. She laughed, hugging them back, then grinned at her mother.

"Have a good year?" she asked.

"It was great," Bryt grinned, "Oh, these are two of my friends—Hermione and Ron."

"Pleasure," Hermione grinned and Ron nodded.

"Same here," Mrs. Watkins grinned, then to Bryt, "We should head on, it's late."

Bryt nodded and turned to Hermione and Ron, hugging them again.

"See you over the summer," she said, then to Hermione, "I'll call often, okay?"

"Right," Hermione nodded.

With one last wave to her friends, Bryt headed off with her family, pulling an arm around each of her brothers while her mother took care of her trolley.

"What did you do all year, Bryt?" Mike asked excitedly.

"Did you do anything exciting?" Drew added.

"Of course!" Bryt laughed, "I fought a troll, smuggled a dragon out of the school, got to ride on a centaur, snuck past a cerberus, fought a giant plant, chased a flying key, and played live chess."

"Honestly, Bryt," Mrs. Watkins shook her head, "The imagination you have...I know yer a witch now, but there's no way things like that can happen at a school, magical or not."

Bryt giggled and winked at her brothers, pulling them a little closer.

"That's what she thinks," she whispered.

"If all that happened in jus' your first year," Drew whispered.

"I can' wait to hear next year's stories!" Mike finished.

Bryt laughed again as they reached the family van and she found herself agreeing with her brothers. Despite all the dangers from her first year at Hogwarts, she had, in some way, enjoyed the adventure and was actually hoping the next year would bring another. Then again, the Sorcerer's Stone was only at Hogwarts to hide it and now that it was gone, Bryt doubted her second year would be anything more than normal. Normal for a magical school, anyway.

* * *

**A/N:** Thus ends Year One. Hope you enjoyed it!


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